Khmer National United Party

The Khmer National United Party (KNUP; Khmer: គណបក្សខ្មែររួបរួមជាតិ, ខ.រ.ជ, UNGEGN: Kônâbâks Khmêr Ruŏbruŏm Chéatĕ, K.R.C) is a Cambodian political party founded in February 2016 by Nhek Bun Chhay and former members of FUNCINPEC.^[4]

Khmer National United Party គណបក្សរួបរួមជាតិខ្មែរ
Abbreviation	KNUP (English) ខ.រ.ជ (Khmer)
Leader	Nhek Bun Chhay
Founder	Nhek Bun Chhay
Founded	February 2016
Registered	14 March 2016[1]
Split from	FUNCINPEC
Headquarters	Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Ideology	Royalism
Slogan	"ឯករាជ្យភាព សន្តិភាព យុត្តិធម៌" ("Independence, Peace, Justice") [2]
Senate	0 / 62
National Assembly	0 / 125
Commune Chiefs	1 / 1,646
Commune Council	24 / 11,572
Provincial, municipal, town and district councillors[3]	1 / 4,114
Website
https://www.knu-party.org (defunct)
Politics of Cambodia Political parties Elections

The party is open to legalizing same-sex marriage.^[5]

Attempts at merging back into FUNCINPEC

On September 13 and 18, 2019, senior officials of the KNUP and FUNCINPEC began discussion to merge the KNUP back into FUNCINPEC.^[6] KNUP spokesman Run Meatra said that senior officials of FUNCINPEC and the KNUP agreed to a merger on December 23, but both never went through with the decision.^[7]

On September 22, 2021, both parties discussed merging ahead of the upcoming commune elections.^[8] KNUP president Nhek Bun Chhay announced another merger between the two party after they both negotiated several times and resolved their own internal issues.^[8] However, due to a controversy regarding the leadership of a united party, the decision to merge never went ahead.^[9]

Recent electoral history

General election

Year	Party leader	Votes			Seats		Position	Government
		#	%	±	#	±
2018	Nhek Bun Chhay	99,377	1.56%	New	0 / 125	New	5th	CPP
2023		134,285	1.73%	0.17	0 / 125		3rd	CPP

Communal elections

Year	Party leader	Votes			Chiefs		Councillors		Position
		#	%	±	#	±	#	±
2017	Nhek Bun Chhay	78,724	1.13	New	0 / 1,646	New	24 / 11,572	New	5th
2022		63,868	0.88	0.27	0 / 1,652		13 / 11,622	11	4th

Senate election

Year	Votes			Seats		Position
	#	%	±	#	±
2018	182	1.56	New	0 / 62	New	3rd

References

1. Tola, Kang (12 February 2022). "មានគណបក្សនយោបាយចំនួន៤៥ ត្រូវបានចុះបញ្ជីផ្លូវការនៅក្រសួងមហាផ្ទៃ". Kampuchea Thmey Daily. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
2. គោលនយោបាយមូលដ្ឋាន ទាំង៩ចំណុច របស់គណបក្ស ខ្មែររួបរួមជាតិ។ Facebook, 23 January 2017
3. Khorn, Savi (11 June 2019). "Ministry: Councillors to be appointed by next Monday". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
4. "Funcinpec Party Disintegrates, Yet Again". February 2, 2016.
5. Sokha, Touch. "Parties open to gay marriage". www.phnompenhpost.com.
6. Sovuthy, Khy (29 September 2019). "Funcinpec and KNUP discuss merging". Khmer Times. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
7. Sovuthy, Khy (2 December 2019). "Funcinpec, KNUP to merge this month". Khmer Times. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
8. Samean, Lay (23 September 2021). "Funcinpec and KNUP merge ahead of commune elections". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
9. Sokhean, Ben (15 September 2021). "Wheel of misfortune: Funcinpec-KNUP re-unity and splits keep recurring". Khmer Times. Retrieved 26 May 2022.