Hun Sen

Biography

Hun Sen, originally born Hun Bunal on August 5, 1952, in Peam Kaoh Sna Commune, is a Cambodian politician known for being one of the longest-serving heads of government in the world. He is currently the president of the Senate since 2024 and was previously Cambodia's Prime Minister for 38 years, from 1985 to 2023, across different terms. His political journey started during Cambodia's chaotic period, joining the Khmer Rouge as a soldier in 1970 at 18 and changing his name to Hun Sen in 1972. He climbed the ranks to become a battalion commander during the Cambodian Civil War but defected in 1977, fleeing to Vietnam as the Khmer Rouge's brutality grew worse. After his defection, Hun Sen fought with Vietnamese forces during the Cambodian-Vietnamese War and became a major player in the Vietnamese-supported People's Republic of Kampuchea formed in 1979. Remarkably, at just 26, he became the world's youngest foreign minister, serving from 1979 to 1986 and again from 1987 to 1990. This role provided him with important diplomatic experience that influenced his future leadership style. He became Prime Minister in January 1985, appointed by the National Assembly to succeed Chan Sy, who had died in office. His time in power was briefly interrupted by the 1993 UN-supervised elections that led to a hung parliament, with the FUNCINPEC party winning the most seats. Instead of accepting defeat, Hun Sen arranged a power-sharing deal with Prince Norodom Ranariddh, taking the role of Second Prime Minister while Ranariddh became First Prime Minister. This unstable partnership lasted until 1997 when Hun Sen led a coup to remove Ranariddh from power. From 1998 until he stepped down in 2023, Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party won a series of elections, although these were often criticized by international observers for lacking real competition. During his time in office, Cambodia saw substantial economic growth and infrastructure improvements, moving from a war-torn state to a lower-middle-income country. However, his rule was also marked by widespread corruption, environmental issues including severe deforestation, and the systematic crackdown on political opposition and civil society groups.