The Senate on November 2 unanimously approved the draft amendments to several articles of the Constitution mandating single-citizenship for holders of the top four national institutions.

According to the press statement released after its session, a total of 57 out of 62 Senators were present and all of them voted in favour of the amendments.

Senate spokesman Mam Bun Neang told The Post that the Senate convened its fourth extraordinary session to review and comment on the draft amendments under the chairmanship of Senate president Say Chhum.

“We voted unanimously to approve the draft amendments with more than the required two-thirds of all senators in favour,” he said.

He said the Senate also passed two other draft laws: The law on ending the Khmer Rouge tribunal and the law on public-private partnerships.

After the Senate passed the Constitutional amendments and draft laws, they are to be sent back to the National Assembly (NA) for finalisation before being referred to the King for promulgation.

The Constitutional amendments are to articles 19, 82, 106, 119 and 137 of the Constitution and articles 3 and 4 of the Additional Constitutional Law tending to ensure the regular functioning of national institutions.

The amendments, once promulgated, will establish a single-citizenship mandate for the prime minister and the presidents of the NA, Senate and Constitutional Council.

Bun Neang said the amendment of the Constitution was to ensure that the leaders of the top four institutions have unwavering loyalty to the nation and the Cambodian people in every circumstance.

He further said it was also done as a preventive measure to ward off attempts by foreign powers to influence Cambodia’s national and foreign policies.