New Senate to be inaugurated on March 20

Published: 01-Mar-12

PHNOM PENH (Cambodia Herald) – The newly-elected Senate will hold its first session from 20 to 28 March with the opening session presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni and Oum Manorine, the 88-year-old dean of the upper house, sources said Thursday.

“We are waiting for the other two members to be elected by the National Assembly next week,” said Oum Sarith, secretary general of the Senate.

He said the inaugural meeting of the third legislature would announce the validity of the senators and vote for president and vice presidents of the chamber.

In the indirect elections for the Senate in January, the Cambodian People's Party won 46 seats while the opposition Sam Rainsy Party claimed 11. Two of the other four seats in the 61-seat chamber are elected by the National Assembly while the other two are nominated by the king.