Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by SovanDara (talk | contribs) at 04:54, 22 May 2020. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party
LeaderSon Sann
Founded1993
Dissolved1997
Preceded byKhmer People's National Liberation Front
IdeologyConservatism
Monarchism
Buddhist socialism
Political positionCentre-right
ReligionTheravada Buddhism

The Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP) (Khmer: គណបក្សប្រជាធិបតេយ្យសេរីនិយមព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា) was a Cambodian political party founded in 1993 by former Cambodian Prime Minister Son Sann. The BLDP was created as a successor to the Khmer People's National Liberation Front (KPNLF), an anti-communist group also started by Son Sann.

1993 Cambodian election

The BLDP won ten seats in the 1993 Cambodian election, and partnered in the resulting coalition government with the Funcinpec and the Cambodian People's Party.

Split

Rivalry between Son Sann and fellow party leader Ieng Mouly led to a split within the party that resulted in its dissolution in 1997. In 1998, Ieng Mouly's faction formed the Buddhist Liberal Party, while Son Sann's supporters created the Son Sann Party. Both successor parties failed to capture even a single seat in the 1998 election. The BLDP was a founding body of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.

General election results

Election Leader Votes Seats Position Government
# % ± # ±
1993 Son Sann 152,764 3.8 Increase3.8
10 / 120
Increase10 Increase 3rd FUNCINPEC–CPP–BLDP
1998 Ieng Mouly 45,849 0.9 Decrease2.9
0 / 122
Decrease10 Decrease 7th CPP–FUNCINPEC