More than a year of negotiations over election dates wrapped yesterday, with Cambodia’s two main parties agreeing to hold commune elections in February 2017 and National Assembly elections in February 2018, a senior opposition official said.

The agreement, which sees the dates bumped up by five months, was reached after a roundtable discussion between representatives of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and the Cambodian National Rescue Party.

According to CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann, the new dates should guarantee a higher voter turnout. “Before, it was during the rainy season ... the farmers are busy. During the dry season, everybody is free,” he said.

CNRP deputy leader Kem Sokha had previously pushed for National Assembly elections to be held in 2016.