Simone Lawson
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy with a multiparty liberal democracy. The country's constitution, which was adopted in 1993, outlines the king's role as a ceremonial one, declaring that the king shall reign, but not govern and is a symbol of national unity and continuity. The king, who is an elected monarch, performs important functions of state, including appointing the prime minister and the cabinet, and convening over the opening of the legislative bodies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Government | Multiparty Democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy |
| Constitution | Adopted in 1993; amended in 1999 |
| King's Role | Ceremonial; "shall reign, but not govern"; symbol of national unity and continuity |
| King's Responsibilities | Appointing the Prime Minister and Cabinet, convening over the opening of the National Assembly and Senate, serving as the supreme commander of the armed forces, meeting with the Prime Minister, signing royal codes/decrees, acting as "supreme arbiter", presiding over the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, awarding national honours, etc. |
| Election of King | Elected for life by the Royal Council of the Throne, from among members of the Norodom bloodline who are at least 30 years old |
| Election of Government | Elections are internationally recognized as free and fair |
| Legislative Branch | Bicameral legislature consisting of a 123-member elected National Assembly and a 61-member Senate |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court and lower courts |
| Administrative Subdivisions | 20 provinces and 4 municipalities |
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What You'll Learn
Cambodia's constitution was adopted in 1993
Cambodia's constitution was adopted on 21 September 1993 and promulgated on 24 September 1993. The constitution outlines the king's role as a mainly ceremonial one, declaring that the king "shall reign, but not govern", and is the ""symbol of national unity and continuity". The king is an elected monarch, chosen for life from members of the Norodom bloodline who are at least 30 years old by the Royal Council of the Throne. The constitution also outlines the king's responsibilities as the head of state, including appointing the prime minister and the cabinet, convening over the opening of the two legislative bodies (the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate of Cambodia), and serving as the supreme commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
The constitution also establishes a liberal multi-party democracy, with the Royal Government of Cambodia responsible for protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the kingdom, as well as adopting a policy of national reconciliation to ensure unity and preserve the nation's good customs and traditions. The government is also tasked with preserving and protecting legality and ensuring public order and security.
In addition, the constitution sets out the basic rights and obligations of citizens, including the right to respect public and legally acquired private property. It also establishes economic rules and outlines policies in areas such as education, culture, and social affairs.
The 1993 Constitution has been amended nine times, with revisions made in 2008. These amendments include reforms to the structure of territorial administration and the conferral of constitutional status on the National Election Committee.
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The king's role is largely ceremonial
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy, with a multiparty liberal democracy. The current king, Norodom Sihamoni, is an elected monarch, chosen by the Royal Council of the Throne, which consists of several senior political and religious figures. The constitution, which was established in 1993, outlines the king's role as a "mainly ceremonial one", with the king acting as a "symbol of national unity and continuity".
The constitution states that the king "shall reign, but not govern". While the king does perform important functions of state, these are largely ceremonial duties. The king's role includes:
- Appointing the prime minister and the cabinet
- Convening over the opening of the two legislative bodies, the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate of Cambodia
- Serving as the supreme commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
- Meeting with the prime minister on a semi-monthly basis to be briefed on matters of state
- Signing royal codes and decrees that give effect to laws enacted by the legislature and cabinet proposals
- Acting as the "supreme arbiter" to enable the functioning of state institutions
- Presiding over events of national significance, including religious ceremonies and traditions integral to the Khmer nation
- Supporting humanitarian and philanthropic causes
- Representing Cambodia abroad when undertaking official visits
The king also has the power of commutation and pardon, and he presides over the Supreme Council of the Magistracy. Additionally, he appoints a fixed number of members to serve on state institutions, such as the Senate and the Constitutional Council.
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The king is head of state
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy, with the King as the head of state. The country's constitution, which was adopted in 1993, outlines the king's role as a ceremonial one, declaring that the king "shall reign, but not govern". The king is meant to be a "symbol of national unity and continuity".
The king is elected for life by the Royal Council of the Throne, which consists of senior political and religious figures. The constitution outlines the king's responsibilities as the chief of state and his role in the policy-making process. As head of state, the king of Cambodia performs important functions, including appointing the prime minister and the cabinet, convening over the opening of the two legislative bodies (the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate of Cambodia), and serving as the supreme commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
The king meets with the prime minister on a semi-monthly basis to be briefed on matters of state. He also signs the royal code or decree that gives effect to laws enacted by the legislature and proposals by the cabinet. The king acts as the "supreme arbiter" to enable the functioning of state institutions. He possesses the power of commutation and pardon, and he presides over the Supreme Council of the Magistracy. The king appoints a fixed number of members to serve on state institutions such as the Senate and the Constitutional Council.
Additionally, the king of Cambodia fulfils other roles not explicitly mentioned in the constitution, such as presiding over events of national significance, including religious ceremonies and traditions integral to the Khmer nation. He represents Cambodia abroad when undertaking official visits overseas and supports humanitarian and philanthropic causes.
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The king is an elected monarch
The King of Cambodia is an elected monarch, making the country one of the few elective monarchies in the world. The king is elected for life by the Royal Council of the Throne, from among members of the Norodom bloodline who are at least 30 years old. The Royal Council of the Throne consists of several senior political and religious figures. The current king, Norodom Sihamoni, was elected on 14 October 2004, a week after the abdication of his father, Norodom Sihanouk.
The Cambodian constitution, adopted in 1993, outlines the king's role as a mainly ceremonial one. It declares that the king "shall reign, but not govern" and is a "symbol of national unity and continuity". The king performs important functions of state as required by the constitution, including appointing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and convening over the opening of the two legislative bodies, the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate of Cambodia.
The king also has other roles not explicitly mentioned in the constitution, in his capacity as head of state. These include presiding over events of national significance, such as religious ceremonies and traditions integral to the Khmer nation, supporting humanitarian and philanthropic causes, and representing Cambodia abroad when undertaking official visits overseas.
The king also serves as the Supreme Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, meets with the Prime Minister on a semi-monthly basis to be briefed on matters of state, and signs the royal code/decree that gives effect to laws enacted by the legislature and proposals by the cabinet. The king also acts as the "supreme arbiter" to enable the functioning of state institutions, appoints a fixed number of members to serve on state institutions such as the Senate and the Constitutional Council, and awards national honours.
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The constitution outlines the rights and obligations of citizens
The Constitution of Cambodia was adopted in 1993, in compliance with the 1991 Paris Agreement. It outlines the rights and obligations of citizens, including equality before the law, freedom from discrimination, the right to life, freedom, personal security, freedom of speech, freedom from capital punishment, freedom from deportation, and the right to vote and stand as candidates for election.
Article 31 of the Constitution states that the Kingdom of Cambodia shall recognize and respect human rights as stipulated in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other relevant international agreements. It guarantees that every Khmer citizen shall be equal before the law, enjoying the same rights and freedoms, regardless of race, colour, sex, language, religious belief, political tendency, birth origin, social status, or wealth.
Article 32 of the Constitution further emphasizes the right to life, personal freedom, and security for all Khmer citizens, explicitly stating that there shall be no capital punishment. Khmer citizens are also protected from deprivation of their nationality, exile, or deportation, as outlined in Article 33.
The Constitution also grants citizens the right to participate actively in the political, economic, social, and cultural life of the nation. This includes the right to work, obtain social security, form trade unions, strike, and organize peaceful demonstrations. Citizens are also guaranteed the right to human dignity, freedom from torture, the right to due process, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of law.
Additionally, the Constitution outlines the duty of citizens to respect the Constitution and laws of the country. Khmer citizens are expected to participate in national reconstruction and defend the homeland, as well as respect the principles of national sovereignty and liberal multi-party democracy. They are also responsible for protecting and promoting education, preserving and promoting national culture, and contributing to the establishment of a social security system.
The Constitution of Cambodia has been revised multiple times since its adoption, reflecting the country's commitment to upholding the rights and obligations of its citizens.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy. The constitution, which was adopted in 1993, outlines the king's role as a mainly ceremonial one.
The Cambodian constitution, which was promulgated in 1993, states that the king "shall reign, but not govern" and is a symbol of national unity and continuity. The constitution also outlines the king's responsibilities as the chief of state and head of the executive branch.
The king of Cambodia has many responsibilities, including appointing the prime minister and the cabinet, convening over the opening of the two legislative bodies (the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate of Cambodia), serving as the supreme commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and acting as the "supreme arbiter" to enable the functioning of state institutions.
The king of Cambodia is an elected monarch, chosen for life from among the members of the Norodom bloodline who are at least 30 years old by the Royal Council of the Throne.
