The executive power in Cambodia is invested in the National Assembly and a Council of Ministers; under the current power-sharing arrangement CCP currently controls 12 ministries and Funcinpec 11, with the Ministries of Defense and Interior shared between the two.
The politics of Cambodia formally take place, according to the nation’s constitution of 1993, in the framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic monarchy. The Prime Minister of Cambodia is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system, while the king is the head of state. The Prime Minister is appointed by the King, on the advice and with the approval of the National Assembly; the Prime Minister and his or her ministerial appointees exercise executive power in government. Legislative power is vested in both the executive and the two chambers of parliament, the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate.
On October 14, 2004, King Norodom Sihamoni was selected by a special nine-member throne council, part of a selection process that was quickly put in place after the surprise abdication of King Norodom Sihanouk a week before. Sihamoni’s selection was endorsed by Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Assembly Speaker Prince Norodom Ranariddh (the new king’s brother), both members of the throne council. He was crowned in Phnom Penh on October 29. The monarchy is symbolic and does not exercise political power. Norodom Sihamoni was trained in Cambodian classical dance and is unmarried.
The BBC reports that corruption is rampant in the Cambodian political arena with international aid from the U.S. and other countries being illegally transferred into private accounts. Corruption has also added to the wide income disparity within the population.
Cambodia is divided into 20 provinces (khet), each of which is headed by a governor; these are Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong, Kompong Cham, Kompong Chhnang, Kompong Speu, Kompong Thom, Kratie, Mondulkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng and Takeo. The municipalities of Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville (Kompong Som), Kep and Pailin enjoy provincial government status. Each province is further subdivided into districts (srok), communes (khum) and villages (phum).