Like father, like son? Why Cambodia’s next PM, Hun Manet, might struggle to plot his own path

Questions are swirling about whether Hun Sen’s son will rule with a tight grip like his father or adopt a more liberal approach and improve relations with the west, writes Allegra Mendelson in Phnom Penh

Hun Manet salutes as he leaves a military ceremony in Phnom Penh, June 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)

After nearly four decades in power, Cambodia’s authoritarian ruler Hun Sen has laid the foundations for a political dynasty by anointing his son – Hun Manet – as the country’s next leader.

While the official announcement last month was all but inevitable, questions are now being asked as to what kind of prime minister the heir apparent will be – and whether he will follow in the footsteps of his father or prove more progressive.

Manet was confirmed as the next leader of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) on 24 December following a unanimous vote. While the timeframe is unclear, with no viable opposition, he is likely to succeed his father as prime minister by the end of the decade.