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Cambodia
Women in decision-making positions
21%
Members of local deliberative bodies are women (3,357 elected women)
No woman is Head of Government
14%
Parliamentarians are women
11%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Spheres of government

Cambodia is a unitary monarchy with two spheres of government: central and local.

One tier of central government and three tiers of local government: an upper tier of provinces and Phenom Penh Capital; a middle tier of districts, municipalities and boroughs; and a lower tier of quarters and communes.

  • Head of State: The King is a hereditary position that is formally elected by the Royal Council of the Throne.
  • Head of Government: The Prime Minister is appointed by the King, upon the request of the President of the National Assembly and with the agreement of both Vice-Presidents of the National Assembly, amongst the members of the party holding the largest number of seats within the National Assembly.
  • Legislative body: Parliament is a bicameral legislature, with an upper house (the Senate) and a lower house (the National Assembly). The Senate is composed of one member appointed by the King, two members elected by the National Assembly, and other members elected by councilors at the quarter/commune level of local government. The National Assembly is composed of members directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The Council of Ministers is composed of the Prime Minister, deputy prime ministers, senior ministers, ministers, and secretaries of state. The Prime Ministers proposes the members of government to the National Assembly for a vote of confidence. After the National Assembly passes a vote of confidence, the King issues a Royal decree appointing the entire Council of Ministers.

  • Organization: Local government is organized into three tiers: an upper tier of 24 provincial-level local government units and the autonomous municipality of Phenom Penh Capital, an intermediate tier of 173 district-level local government units, 26 municipalities, and 12 borough-level local government units, and a lower tier of 1,621 quarter/communal-level local government units.
  • Municipalities can take the form of cities (in urban areas with a population of 50,000+ inhabitants) or towns (in a provincial capital or in urban areas with a population of at least 10,000 inhabitants).
  • Competencies: Local government is responsible for making by-laws, developing its own budget, promoting local development, and managing its own resources.
  • Ministerial oversight: The Ministry of Interior is responsible for central government oversight on local government.

Overview of local government

Local government composition

Deliberative body: The provincial council is composed of 9-21 members. A chairperson presides over the provincial council; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The provincial board of governors is composed of 3-7 appointed members, including the provincial governor.

Deliberative body: The Phnom Penh Capital Council is composed of a maximum of 21 members. A chairperson presides over the Phnom Penh Capital Council; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The Phnom Penh Capital Board of Governors is composed of a maximum of seven appointed members, including the Governor of Phnom Penh.

Deliberative body: The district council is composed of 7-19 members. A chairperson presides over the district council; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The district board of governors is composed of 3-5 appointed members, including the district governor.

Deliberative body: The municipal council is composed of 7-15 members. A chairperson presides over the municipal council; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The municipal board of governors is composed of 3-5 appointed members, including the municipal governor.

Deliberative body: The borough/ khan council is composed of 7-19 members. A chairperson presides over the borough council; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The borough board of governors is composed of 3-5 appointed members, including the borough governor.

Deliberative body: The commune/ quarter council is composed of 5-11 elected members. A chairperson presides over the commune/ quarter council; the chairperson is also vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The council chairperson (also known as the communal/ quarter chief), the first deputy chief, and the second deputy chief comprise the executive at the quarter/ communal level of government.

Local government elections

Electoral system for commune/quarter deliberative bodies: proportional representation (closed list)

  • A closed party-list proportional electoral system is used, where seats are all allocated based on the highest average.
  • At the provincial, Phenom Penh, district, municipal, and borough levels of government, deliberative body members are indirectly elected.

Electoral system for commune/quarter chiefs: head of winning list

  • The commune/quarter chief is the head of the winning party list in the commune/quarter deliberative body election.

Sources: Law on the Election of Commune/Sangkat Councils, 2015 (amended through 2017), articles 2 and 14; Law on the Election of the Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts, and Khans, 2008 (amended through 2022), articles 4 and 13

  • Gender quotas: No
  • Additional quotas: No

  • Term length: 5 years
  • Last local elections: 2019
  • Next local elections: 2024

National Election Commission; Capital Election Commission; Provincial Election Commission

National legal framework on local government

  • Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, 1993 (amended through 2022);
  • Law on the Election of Commune/Sangkat Councils, 2015 (amended through 2017);
  • Law on Administrative Management of the Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts, and Khans, 2008 (amended through 2022);
  • Law on the Election of the Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts, and Khans, 2008 (amended through 2019);
  • Law on Commune/Sangkat Administrative Management, 2001.

There are no constitutional provisions that establish local government in Cambodia.

Parliament is responsible for establishing the national legal framework on local government. The key pieces of legislation which regulate local government are the Law on Administrative Management of the Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts, and Khans of 2008 and the Law on Commune/Sangkat Administrative Management of 2001. According to According to Article 2 of the Law on Administrative Management of the Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts, and Khans, “the Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts, and Khans shall be governed in accordance with the principles of unified administration in order to establish, promote, and sustain democratic development through the policy of decentralization and deconcentration.” According to Article 5 of the Law on Commune/Sangkat Administrative Management, “a commune/quarter governs local affairs of its territory in accordance with the Constitution, laws, Royal decrees, sub-decrees, proclamations, and legal instruments concerned. Legislative power and Executive Power shall be vested to Communes/Quarters.”

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2025.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 1 December 2025.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2025.

4. UN Women: Data on share of women Cabinet ministers as of 1 January 2025.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.