Election Name: | 1966 Cambodian general election |
Country: | Cambodia |
Type: | parliamentary |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 1962 Cambodian general election |
Previous Year: | 1962 |
Next Election: | 1972 Cambodian general election |
Next Year: | 1972 |
Seats For Election: | All 82 seats in the National Assembly |
Majority Seats: | 42 |
Election Date: | 11 September 1966 |
Leader1: | Norodom Sihanouk |
Party1: | Sangkum |
Seats Before1: | 77 |
Seats1: | 82 |
Seat Change1: | 5 |
Percentage1: | 100% |
Prime Minister | |
Before Election: | Norodom Kantol |
Before Party: | Sangkum |
After Election: | Lon Nol |
After Party: | Sangkum |
General elections were held in Cambodia on 11 September 1966.[1] Only candidates of the Sangkum party were allowed to contest the election, although more than one candidate could run in a constituency. As a result, the party won all 82 seats.[2] The conservative wing of the Sangkum gained a majority. On 18 October the National Assembly of Cambodia nominated Lon Nol as Prime Minister.
Only 28 of the 82 deputies had been previously elected to Parliament, six of whom were members of the conservative wing of the Sangkum.
The conservative wing of the Sangkum won a two-thirds majority in parliament, meaning Sihanouk could not prevent the opposition from blocking nominations. As a result, Lon Nol was elected Prime Minister with 59 votes in favour and 23 against.