Although the CPP might not be under immediate threat given the fact that it still won 68 out of 123 seats in the July 2013 parliamentary election, its stunning decline is forcing the ruling elites to come to terms with the cruel reality that they aren’t as invincible or unbeatable as they once believed. While Cambodia is enjoying greater stability and peace, and the economy is growing rapidly, the CPP has fallen victim to its own achievements. The most pressing question is: how did voters suddenly fall out of love with the CPP?

Cambodia’s collapse in the 1980s