Cambodia's Hun Sen marks birthday with election victory confirmation

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks during an inauguration ceremony for the Phnom Penh ring road No.3 in Kandal Province on August 3, 2023. Cambodia's outgoing leader Hun Sen marked his 71st birthday Saturday with official confirmation of his ruling party's landslide win in recent one-sided polls, paving the way for a smooth power handover to his eldest son. - AFP

PHNOM PENH (AFP): Cambodia's outgoing leader Hun Sen marked his 71st birthday Saturday with official confirmation of his ruling party's landslide win in recent one-sided polls, paving the way for a smooth transfer of power to his eldest son.

Last month's election was widely decried as a sham after the opposition Candlelight Party -- the top challenger to the ruling party -- was barred from the contest over a technicality.