The Cambodian National Election Council (NEC) announced on Friday that 102,266 candidates from 12 political parties will compete in the 2007 commune councils election.

The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), the co-ruling Funcinpec Party and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), each with over 20,000 candidates, are the four major parties to compete in the provinces and the municipalities, according to a press release issued by the NEC.

The CPP, with 26,600 candidates, or the most among the 12 parties, is to compete in all 1,621 communes, the press release said.

Meanwhile, the SRP with 24,870 candidates is to compete in 1, 596 communes, Funcinpec with 21,791 candidates in 1,460 communes, and NRP with 22,169 candidates in 1,431 communes, it added.

In addition to the four major parties, eight other parties with hundreds of candidates each will just compete in parts of the communes.

They are the Khmer Democratic Party, Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party, League for Democracy Party, Hang Dara Democratic Movement Party, Khmer National Party, Democratic Society Party, United People of Cambodia Party and Cambodian Progress Party, according to the press release.

The process of the 2007 commune councils election started on September 21, 2006, and will end on May 23, 2007. Final results will get published on April 1.

Source: Xinhua