A few years back, Cambodia's leader launched an extremely harsh crackdown on his opponents to eliminate any threat to his rule.

In the face of popular opposition, Hun Sen utilized the courts to dismantle the political party that posed a challenge to his authority. Many MPs were removed from parliament, and the party leaders were arrested.

With his rivals crushed, he easily won the 2018 election six months later, securing all 125 seats in Cambodia's parliament.

As voters prepare to head to the polls again this Sunday, they feel a sense of déjà vu as the only alternative to the ruling party has been banned.

According to one voter, an aid worker in Phnom Penh, the election is perceived as rigged since there are no real strong opposition parties allowed to participate.

At 70 years old, Hun Sen has maintained his iron grip on Cambodia's leadership since 1985, making him the world's longest-serving prime minister. Having defected from the Khmer Rouge regime before its downfall, he has wielded power for nearly four decades by consolidating control through various channels, such as the military, police, and intelligence networks.

Throughout his tenure, Hun Sen has dealt with opponents by co-opting, imprisoning, exiling, or marginalizing them, ensuring his authority remains unchallenged. Despite the UN's efforts to establish a democratic system in Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge atrocities in the 1990s, political analysts now view the country as an authoritarian one-party state, with Hun Sen essentially regarded as a dictator.

Many citizens, once hopeful for change, have now grown disillusioned and feel hopeless about the current political situation. In past elections, some had expressed their desire for change by supporting opposition movements, only to witness Hun Sen's government crush them.

Today, there is widespread fear of government criticism during election periods, stifling any potential dissent.Despite being one of the poorest countries in Asia, Cambodia continues to face numerous challenges, including struggling with high fuel prices and stagnant wages.

Corruption is deeply ingrained, and public accountability remains weak, exacerbating issues like land grabs and rising crime, further diminishing the quality of life for locals.

In the upcoming vote on Sunday, the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is expected to secure yet another victory, leaving no room for representative voices in parliament to address the people's problems or protect their interests. Consequently, many citizens feel disillusioned and silenced, leading to a sense of resignation and powerlessness.

Hun Sen, the long-standing prime minister, has hinted at handing over power to his son after the election, but the timing remains uncertain. As his era nears its end, experts observe that Hun Sen has become increasingly erratic, repressive, and vindictive, signaling a concerning situation for the future of Cambodia's leadership.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has been taking pre-emptive measures to eliminate any credible opposition, particularly targeting the Candlelight Party, which emerged as a significant force after the dismantling of the previous opposition. Despite facing widespread intimidation and tampering, the Candlelight Party secured an impressive 22% of the vote in local commune elections last year.

Hun Sen deemed this level of support intolerable and orchestrated the banning of the Candlelight Party by exploiting a technicality with the help of the electoral office. This move left the party's representatives disheartened, as they had invested substantial efforts and resources into their campaign, only to be disqualified at the final stretch due to a sudden rule change.

As the election approaches, the situation for Candlelight leaders has become increasingly dangerous, with many of them facing arrests. The suppression has escalated to the point where some leaders were captured by Thai police while attempting to seek refuge at the UN's office in Bangkok.

This crackdown on the opposition highlights a worrisome decline in democratic principles and human rights in Cambodia under Hun Sen's long-standing rule.

Cambodia's elections had a history of violence and irregularities despite international assistance. However, until the 2018 election, they were still viewed as competitive, offering a potential pathway to power for opposition parties despite challenges.

In 2013, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), led by Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha, achieved a surprising 44% of the national vote, causing alarm for Hun Sen and the ruling CPP.

During the election night, the CNRP momentarily appeared to surpass the ruling party, prompting the government to abruptly halt the live vote count broadcast.

This heightened political climate energized Cambodians, particularly the youth, who believed in the possibility of regime change. Large turnouts at rallies demonstrated the public's enthusiasm.

The CNRP's protests continued for months, posing a significant challenge to Hun Sen's authority. In response, he made concessions, relinquishing some powers, and engaged in negotiations to reach a truce.

After the 2017 local elections, Prime Minister Hun Sen responded forcefully to the challenge posed by the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). He passed a law allowing the dissolution of parties on security grounds and subsequently used this power to disband the CNRP through the Supreme Court.

This led to the prosecution of around 100 CNRP members, causing key figures to flee into exile. Hun Sen's crackdown extended to other democratic institutions, shutting down newspapers, expelling rights groups and US Peace Corps volunteers, shocking the international community.

In response to the situation, the US imposed sanctions on senior Cambodian officials in 2019, and the EU implemented trade sanctions in 2020, citing alleged abuses.

However, Hun Sen remained indifferent, backed by support from China. Cambodia's political landscape shifted dramatically, moving from a competitive environment to one marked by authoritarian actions, causing widespread dispiritedness and concern.

In 2023, Hun Sen's actions intensified further, with threats and criminal charges against the Candlelight leadership and the imprisonment of former CNRP leader Kem Sokha. These actions garnered international condemnation, including from Western embassies and the UN human rights commissioner.

The last remaining free press outlet, Voice of Democracy, was shut down, and NGOs faced the risk of de-registration. The erosion of political freedoms and democratic institutions in Cambodia continues to be a matter of concern for both the population and the international community.

Throughout his rule, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has relied on intimidation and harassment to solidify his political power. He employs tactics such as offering bribes, government jobs, and land to co-opt individuals and groups into supporting his regime.

However, when co-optation fails, he resorts to crushing his opponents through threats of physical violence and public humiliation via social media.

Recent times have witnessed an escalation in intimidation tactics, with reports of public assaults on Candlelight party members by masked men and increased harassment and arbitrary arrests of party members documented by Human Rights Watch.

In rural areas, CPP agents are known to buy votes and threaten non-compliant voters. Additionally, new electoral laws have been rushed through, making it illegal to advocate for a boycott, imposing heavy fines for spoiling a ballot, and mandating voting in this year's poll for future candidacy eligibility.

Hun Sen is determined to deflect criticism of the upcoming election, particularly after the dissolution of the Candlelight Party, and is further tightening his grip to suppress any potential challenges to his authority.

The situation raises concerns about the erosion of democratic principles and human rights in Cambodia.

After being disqualified in May, the Candlelight Party faced internal divisions on their response. Some leaders called for street protests, while Sam Rainsy advocated for an election boycott from exile. The opposition's messaging was fragmented, and with a diminished leadership, they decided to bunker down and survive for now, with plans to rebuild later.

Looking ahead to a post-Hun Sen era, the party, like many others, hopes for positive change in Cambodia. Some believe that when Hun Sen's son, Hun Manet, who commands the army and is Western-educated, takes over, there might be room for improvement.

However, others express concern about dynastic rule and its impact on democratic principles.

Experts caution against placing excessive hope in the sons of dictators, as family regimes often continue established patterns of governance.

Nevertheless, hope for Cambodian democracy resides within the people, even if their true sentiments are not publicly expressed anymore. Despite challenges, the potential for change in Cambodia lies within its citizens.