FUNCINPEC's next congress should mark the return to political life of the former prime minister. Ousted in a coup in 1997, he was dismissed from the party in 2006 for incompetence. Analysts think that this is a move by Hun Sen to split the opposition, a claim royalist leaders dismiss.

Phnom Penh (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Prince Norodom Ranariddh, a former prime minister of Cambodia who was ousted in a coup and later expelled from the political party he helped found, is seeking a comeback.

In a letter to current leaders of the royalist FUNCINPEC party, Ranariddh said that he was accepting their invitation to reassume its presidency. It had removed him in 2006 for alleged incompetence.

FUNCINPEC Secretary-General Nhek Bun Chhay said Friday that Ranariddh would officially assume its leadership at a party congress this month.

Ranariddh, 71, a son of the late King Norodom Sihanouk, led the party to victory in UN-sponsored elections in 1993. However, he had to share power with opposition leader Hun Sen (pictured with the prince at the time of the dual premiership), who has been Cambodia's strongman for more than 20 years.

The poll was part of the UN-sponsored peace process following the fall of the Khmer Rouge government and was aimed at ending three decades of bloody civil war.

Hun Sen staged a coup against his partner in 1997 with a lightning military takeover, placing the party under his influence.

Local political experts say that Prime Minister Hun Sen is behind the prince's return. His goal is to split the opposition front and ensure for himself another victory in the 2018 general elections.

FUNCINPEC leaders have denied such claims. In the past few years, the party has been haunted by corruption scandals involving some of its leading members who deny direct links to the prime minister.

• cambodia
• government
• opposition
• royalist
• party
• hun
• sen
• norodom
• ranariddh
• funcinpec