The National Assembly yesterday appointed Khuon Sodary as second deputy president of the assembly, the first female lawmaker to hold a position of leadership in the legislature.

Khuon Sodary, of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, was voted in by 83 out of 101 votes, with all opposition Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarians abstaining from the vote.

In a rare appearance, Prime Minister Hun Sen personally attended the National Assembly to cast his vote and personally congratulate Khuon Sodary on her new position.

However, SRP lawmakers said the election of a female lawmaker would make no difference to the running of government under the CPP’s monopoly of power within all government institutions.

“This arrangement is an arrangement of a single party, absolute and communist,” SRP spokesman Yim Sovann said. “In democratic countries, opposition party members must be part of the leadership structures in the top institutions of the nation.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Meas Sokchea at [email protected]