However, due to the requirement for a two-thirds majority to elect a Prime Minister, a new government was not formed until July 2004 when a deal was reached with the FUNCINPEC party.

[2] The party campaigned on the economic development they said that they were bringing to Cambodia and in the March before the election they announced a 1.5 billion dollar program to counter poverty.

[2] The party and their leader Hun Sen won support from voters due to their presiding over the most peaceful period in the countries recent history after ending the rule of the Khmer Rouge.

[9] The two main opposition parties criticised the government of Hun Sen for its corruption and pledged to improve health and education in Cambodia.

[8] FUNCINPEC called for reform of the economy and for more foreign investment, but their leader, Norodom Ranariddh, was seen as being ineffective and his party's popularity was in decline.

[2][8] Meanwhile, the Sam Rainsy Party criticised corruption, pledged more money for health, education and civil servant pay and attempted to attract the poor.

[13] Eventually, 11 months after the election,[15] towards the end of June 2004 the Cambodia People's Party and FUNCINPEC reached an agreement under which ministerial seats would be divided up 60-40 between them and Hun Sen would remain Prime Minister.