Constitution of Cambodia

Watercolor painting of a closed dark blue bound book with a gold ribbon beside an ink pot and a feather quill on a wooden table, with a sunlit window behind.
Illustration of a closed bound book with a gold ribbon, an ink pot and a quill on a table beside a window.

The Constitution of Cambodia is the supreme law of the Kingdom of Cambodia, adopted on September 21, 1993.[1][2][3] It brought back the kingdom of before 1970, this time as a constitutional monarchy and a liberal democracy of several parties.[4]

Background

In 1981 the Vietnam-backed communist government, based in Phnom Penh, founded a government on a new constitution.[4] Peace accords between the government and opposition groups followed in 1991, providing for a new national government.[4] The accords were concluded in Paris on October 23, 1991, and the United Nations set up the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) to carry them out.[5] UNTAC worked from February 1992 to September 1993, and its tasks included organizing and running elections, which took place in 1993.[5][4]

The new constitution was adopted in September 1993.[4] When the constitution took effect, the Constituent Assembly turned into the National Assembly.[1][2] Under the new constitution, Sihanouk became King straight away.[4]

Principles

Cambodia is a kingdom whose King rules under the constitution and the principles of liberal multiparty democracy.[1] The constitution describes a sovereign and independent kingdom that is peaceful, non-aligned and permanently neutral.[1] Its national motto is "Nation, Religion, King".[1] Khmer is the official language and script, and Phnom Penh is the capital.[1]

The King

The King reigns but does not govern.[1] He is head of state for life, and his person is inviolable.[1] The monarchy is elective, and a King has no power to name his successor.[1] The Council of the Throne chooses a new King from among royal descendants,[4] within seven days at most.[1]

Parliament

The legislature has had two chambers since 1999.[4] The National Assembly has at least 120 members, chosen by direct, free, equal, universal and secret vote.[1][2] The Senate's membership may not exceed half that of the Assembly.[1] The King appoints two senators, the National Assembly elects two by majority vote, and the rest are chosen in a non-universal election.[1]

Sources differ on the terms. The constitution's text sets five years for the National Assembly and six for the Senate, with a first Senate term of five years.[1] Another source gives five-year terms for all members of parliament.[4]

Government and courts

The Council of Ministers is the Royal Government.[1] The King chooses the prime minister on the recommendation of the chairman of the National Assembly.[4] The judiciary is an independent power.[1] The Constitutional Council guarantees respect for the constitution and interprets it and the laws.[1]

Amendments

An amendment is passed as a constitutional law by two-thirds of all members of the National Assembly.[1] No amendment may affect liberal multiparty democracy or the constitutional monarchy.[1] The text has been revised up to 2008.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 Constitute Project, Cambodia 1993 (rev. 2008) (undated)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 University of Bern, International Constitutional Law, Cambodia, Constitution (undated)
  3. ↑ Open Development Cambodia, The Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia (2008) (November 26, 2020)
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Cambodia, Constitutional framework (updated October 29, 2026)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 United Nations, United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) (2003)


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This page was last edited on 13 November 2026, at 21:39.