Last year, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen handed power to his eldest son Hun Manet. One year on, it is clear that he remains the country’s most powerful man.

Children who follow in the footsteps of prominent parents often don’t have it easy. Usually, they are measured and judged by the success of their parents, be it in sport or the arts. This is not always fair. In a family business it can be particularly problematic when the junior takes the helm, but senior refuses to let go.

The situation is not much different in Cambodian politics. Over the last three decades, the way in which political power has been exercised has gradually changed. Starting from a party dictatorship of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), the country first transformed into a classic one-person autocracy and then into a family business. Former Prime Minister Hun Sen no longer holds the reins of power alone; the importance of his children has gradually increased, and the Hun clan is preparing to develop a political dominance in Cambodia that Southeast Asia has not experienced since the time of Suharto in Indonesia.

Read the full analysis on https://thediplomat.com/2024/08/in-his-fathers-long-shadow/