The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) of Cambodia is open to the possibility of forming a governing coalition with the current ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) following the 2008 national elections, local media reported Monday.
If the SRP continues to accumulate electoral gains as during April's commune elections, it could emerge from its traditional role as the opposition, the Party's leader Sam Rainsy was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying.
"We have scenarios according to which, if the CPP wins the election, we will not oppose forming a coalition government," he said.
Sam Rainsy said that he and SRP officials had discussed the possibility of a coalition at a closed-door meeting Thursday in Phnom Penh.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith on Sunday said that the CPP was currently only contemplating a Funcinpec coalition, the newspaper reported.
Joining with the CPP is a new stance for the SRP, he said, adding that a viable opposition is important for democracy. "Sam Raincy's party should continue to be an opposition party."
The SRP made strong gains in the commune elections this year, capturing 23.4 percent of the 11,353 commune council seats across the nation.
Source: Xinhua
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