Explained | Who is Hun Manet, the new Cambodian PM appointed by the king

Cambodia's King Norodom Sohamoni on Monday (August 7) appointed Hun Manet as the country's new leader. Hun Manet (45) is the son of Hun Sen who has ruled Cambodia for four decades. The transfer of power from father to son is being seen as continuation of repressive regime which is only handing the power down to the next generation. Hun Sen ruled Cambodia with an iron fist.

The royal decree said that the king "appoints Dr Hun Manet as the prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for the 7th mandate of the parliament".

The appointment of Hun Manet came just days after his father's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) swept a general election. The victory was registered virtually unopposed.

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Hun Manet's rise to the top post marks generational change but it is being widely expected that suppressing policies of the previous regime would continue.

Who is Hun Manet?

Hun Sen has five children and Hun Manet is the eldest. He was born on October 29, 1977.

His father poetically described the birth by saying that It was spirit emerging from a banyan tree in a flash of light that gave birth to his son.

Hun Manet is married to Pich Chanmony. She is the daughter of a prominent politician in Cambodia. The couple has three children.

Hun Manet education

Hun Manet is well-educated. He grew up in Phnom Penh. He joined Cambodian military in 1995. Much of his higher education took place in the United States and Britain.

In 1999, Hun Manet became the first Cambodian to graduate from the US military academy at West Point.

He then received a masters degree in economics from New York University in 2002. He went on to have PhD in economics from the University of Bristol.

Career in military and politics

Hun Manet rose up the ranks of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Some of the posts he held included those of deputy of his father's bodyguards, commander of counter-terrorism, commander of the army and deputy commander-in-chief.

Hun Manet also became head of the youth wing of the Cambodian People's Party and was part of its standing committee.

Hun Sen named Hun Manet as his choice to succeed him as leader. The Cambodian People's Party soon endorsed him as "future prime minister".

What are Hun Manet's political views?

Hun Manet has given very few media interviews which had given few clues about what vision he has for Cambodia and its 16 million population.

Hun Manet has mostly avoided lengthy speeches on campaign trail. He has in the past restricted himself mostly to smiling and waving at the crowds.

In a rally in the run-up to recent elections, he said a vote for CPP was a vote for bright future of Cambodia. He warned of unspecified "extremist" attempts to "destroy the election".

In the year 2015, Manet told the Australian Broadcasting Corp channel that Cambodia must preserve peace, stability and security "at any cost".

Will Hun Manet run government differently than his father?

Major world powers and world agencies are likely to keep a close watch on Hun Manet's rule. They will be watching to see if he maintains authoritarian status quo of his father or set off on a path of liberalisation that is closer to Western style of democracy.

Hun Sen has indicated that he expects his heir to rule in his own model.

Asked by the Phnom Penh Post if his son might govern differently, Hun Sen laughed.

"In what way? Any such divergence means disrupting peace and undoing the achievements of the older generation."

Hun Manet may have got the king's approval to become executive head of the country but a small formality still remains.

Also Read | Cambodian king names Hun Sen's son as new PM in royal decree

For him to take up the mantle of upcoming leader of the country, the 45-year-old along with his team should secure a vote of confidence in Cambodian parliament. The confidence vote is scheduled for August 22.

It is expected that the administration under Hun Manet will usher in a new generation of leaders, some of whom will become ministers. There are likely to be some who will fill the posts vacated by previous generation of respective families.

So will Hun Sen retire from politics?

The veteran has affirmed that he would not be interfering in his son's governance, Hun Sen has hinted that passing on the mantle does not mean he will retire to political backstage.

The elections which took place in Cambodia last month drew condemnation from the United States, the European Union and even the United Nations. They said that the elections lacked fairness and freedom. Hun Sen has rejected the allegations and has asserted that his dynamic succession will ensure peace and prevent turmoil. The handing of the baton has been likened by some to political affairs in North Korea.

(With inputs from agencies)