Editing Norodom Ranariddh (section)

===Candidacy to the throne===

Debates on the succession to the throne began in November 1993,<ref name="Browynthrone">{{cite web
 |author      = Bronwyn Curran
 |url         = http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wither-throne
 |title       = Wither the throne?
 |date        = 3 December 1993
|access-date  = 29 June 2015
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924125959/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wither-throne
 |archive-date = 24 September 2015
|work        = Phnom Penh Post
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref> shortly after Sihanouk was diagnosed with cancer.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 175</ref> In a 1995 poll of 700 people conducted by the Khmer Journalists' Associations, 24 percent of respondents preferred Ranariddh to take the throne, although a larger proportion indicated no preference over any members of the royal family.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 177</ref> In a March 1996 interview with the ''[[Cambodia Daily]]'', Sihanouk encouraged Ranariddh to succeed him as king, but also expressed concern that a leadership vacuum within FUNCINPEC would occur, should Ranariddh accede.<ref name="Royaltrumps">{{cite web |author=Jason Barber |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-trumps-table-aces-sleeve |title=Royal trumps on the table, aces up the sleeve |date=22 March 1996 |access-date=6 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701010811/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-trumps-table-aces-sleeve |archive-date=1 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Sihanouk repeated these concerns in an interview with the ''Phnom Penh Post'' in February 1997. Sihanouk mentioned Sihamoni as another potential candidate, despite the latter's view that the responsibilities attached to the throne were "frightening".<ref>{{cite web |author=Post Staff |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/comment-politics-abdication-and-succession |title=Comment: The politics of abdication and succession |date=7 March 1997 |access-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701001922/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/comment-politics-abdication-and-succession |archive-date=1 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sihamoni's candidacy found favour with Hun Sen and [[Chea Sim]], because of his non-involvement in politics.<ref name="Harish2013-306">Mehta (2013), p. 306</ref>

In two reports from 1993 and 1996, Ranariddh rejected the notion of becoming the next king.<ref name="Browynthrone"/><ref name="Royaltrumps"/> In November 1997, Ranariddh suggested that his outspoken and passionate personality made him an unsuitable candidate for the throne.<ref>{{cite web |author=Claudi Arizzi |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-watchers-ponder-whats-deal |title=Royal watchers ponder 'what's the deal?' |date=21 November 1997 |access-date=29 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150731041400/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-watchers-ponder-whats-deal |archive-date=31 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, by March 1999 Ranariddh became more receptive to the idea of succeeding his father.<ref>{{cite web |author=Julio A Jeldres |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-monarchy-search-successor |title=Cambodia's Monarchy: The search for the successor |date=2 April 1999 |access-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630214146/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-monarchy-search-successor |archive-date=30 June 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> In early 2001, in an interview to Harish Mehta, Ranariddh discussed his conflicting desires between taking the throne and staying in politics.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 178</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Hillary Jackson|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=20010919&id=oqktAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fHgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3071,5236409|title=Cambodian Prince torn between politics and throne|date=19 September 2001|page=6|access-date=6 January 2015|work=[[New Straits Times]] (originally from Reuters)}}</ref>

In November 2001, Ranariddh told the ''[[Cambodia Daily]]'' that he had decided to prioritize his political career over the throne. In the same interview, he added that Sihamoni had in the past supported him to become the next king.<ref>{{cite web |author=Lor Chandara |url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/prince-opts-for-politics-not-throne-27260/ |title=Prince Opts For Politics, Not Throne |work=[[The Cambodia Daily]] |date=14 November 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630095227/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/prince-opts-for-politics-not-throne-27260/ |archive-date=30 June 2015 |access-date=15 February 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In September 2004, Ranariddh revealed that although he had been offered the throne by both Sihanouk and [[Norodom Monineath|Monineath]], who was Sihamoni's mother, he would prefer to see Sihamoni take the throne. When the [[Royal Council of the Throne|throne council]] convened in October 2004 to select Sihanouk's successor, Ranariddh was part of the council which unanimously chose Norodom Sihamoni to be the next king.<ref>{{cite web |author=Yun Samean |url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/stories-of-the-month/throne-council-selects-sihamoni-to-be-the-next-king-393/ |title=Throne Council Selects Sihamoni to be the Next King |work=[[The Cambodia Daily]] |date=15 October 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702011214/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/stories-of-the-month/throne-council-selects-sihamoni-to-be-the-next-king-393/ |archive-date=2 July 2015 |access-date=2 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>