Khmer National Solidarity Party

Khmer National Solidarity Party
គណៈបក្សសាមគ្គីជាតិខ្មែរ
AbbreviationKNSP
LeaderKhieu Samphan
FoundedApril (or May) 1997
DissolvedDecember 1998
Preceded byCambodian National Unity Party
IdeologyDemocratic socialism[1][2]
Liberal democracy[3]
Political positionCentre-left to left-wing

The Khmer National Solidarity Party (KNSP) was a Cambodian political party founded in May 1997 by senior Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan after he denunciated Pol Pot and as he began distancing himself from the Khmer Rouge.[4] Khieu Samphan was formerly the leader of the Cambodian National Unity Party. Khieu Samphan had announced the new party to back the National United Front proposed by Prince Norodom Ranariddh for the 1998 Cambodian parliamentary election. Still, opposition from the ruling Cambodian People's Party led by Hun Sen prevented this from occurring.[5] Khieu Samphan stated in 1998 of the elections that, "If the elections do not go ahead under the iron rule of Vietnamese communists and their puppet, we should be very happy and want to take part because we are democratic, pluralistic and free government."[3]

  1. ^ Alan John Day, Richard German, and John Campbell (ed.). Political Parties of the World. 1996. New York: Stockton. p. 109.
  2. ^ Bogdan Szajkowski (Ed.). Revolutionary and Dissident Movements of the World. John Harper Publishing. 2004. p. 54.
  3. ^ a b Asian Network for Free Elections. Cambodia: Struggling for Justice and Peace: Report of Missions on the 1998 Cambodian Election. 1999. p. 106.
  4. ^ Far East and Australasia 2003. 2002. p. 236.
  5. ^ The Europa World Year Book 2004 Volume I. London: Taylor & Francis. 2004. p. 966.