Hun Sen announces resignation

People watching as Hun Sen speaks during a special statement on television at a restaurant in Phnom Penh.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, said he will resign and hand power to his eldest son after almost four decades of hardline rule.

The former Khmer Rouge cadre has run the kingdom since 1985, eliminating all opposition to his power, with opposition parties banned, challengers forced to flee and freedom of expression stifled.