Editing Norodom Ranariddh (section)

==Entry into politics==

===Initial years in FUNCINPEC===

When Sihanouk formed FUNCINPEC in 1981, Ranariddh declined his father's invitation to join the party as he disagreed with its association with the [[Khmer Rouge]].<ref name="Mehta2001-p.66"/> In June 1983, Sihanouk urged Ranariddh to leave his teaching career in France and join FUNCINPEC, and this time he agreed.<ref name="Mehta2001-p.66"/> Ranariddh was appointed a personal representative to Sihanouk, and relocated to [[Bangkok, Thailand]],<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 67</ref> where he took charge of the party's diplomatic and political activities in Asia.  In March 1985, Ranariddh was appointed inspector-general of the {{ill|Armee Nationale Sihanoukiste|ru|Национальная армия сианукистов}} (ANS), the armed force of FUNCINPEC,<ref name="Narong204"/> and in January 1986 became ANS commander-in-chief and chief-of-staff.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 184</ref>

Ranariddh became secretary-general of FUNCINPEC in August 1989, when Sihanouk stepped down as its president.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 82</ref> On 10 September 1990, Ranariddh joined the Supreme National Council of Cambodia (SNC),<ref name="Narong204"/> an interim United Nations administrative body tasked with overseeing sovereign affairs of Cambodia.<ref>Widyono (2008), pp. 34–35</ref> When the [[1991 Paris Peace Accords]] were signed in October of that year, officially ending the [[Cambodian–Vietnamese War]], Ranariddh was one of the SNC signatories.<ref name="Narong204"/> In February 1992, he was elected to the presidency of FUNCINPEC.<ref name="Widyono 2008, p. 154">Widyono (2008), p. 154</ref>

===1993 elections===
{{Main|1993 Cambodian general election}}

When the [[United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia]] (UNTAC) – a parallel administrative body with the SNC – was formed in February 1992, Ranariddh was appointed one of its council members. He spent time travelling between Bangkok and Phnom Penh, and while in Phnom Penh led efforts in opening FUNCINPEC party offices across Cambodia.<ref name="Mehta88">Mehta (2001), p. 88</ref> At the same time, FUNCINPEC began to criticise the ruling CPP,<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 87</ref> which retaliated with violent attacks by police against low-level FUNCINPEC officials.<ref name="Mehta88"/><ref>Widyono (2008), p. 117</ref>

The attacks prompted Ranariddh's close aides, Norodom Sirivudh and [[Sam Rainsy]], to advise him against registering the party for the 1993 general elections. However, the chef-de-mission for UNTAC, [[Yasushi Akashi]], encouraged Ranariddh to run in the elections. Persuaded by Akashi,<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 91</ref> he registered the party and the election campaign began in April 1993. Ranariddh, as well as other FUNCINPEC officials, wore T-shirts depicting Sihanouk on the campaign trail. This nominally complied with an election rule by the UNTAC administration not to use Sihanouk's name during the campaign,<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 92</ref> who now served as the politically neutral head of the SNC.<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 41</ref> Voting took place in May 1993;<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 119</ref> FUNCINPEC secured about 45 percent of the valid votes, winning 58 out of a total of 120 parliamentary seats.<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 127</ref> The CPP refused to recognise the election results and complained of [[electoral fraud]].<ref name="Peou174">Peou (2000), pp. 174–75</ref>

On 3 June 1993, CPP leaders [[Chea Sim]] and Hun Sen met with Sihanouk and persuaded him to head an interim government with the CPP and FUNCINPEC as joint coalition partners.<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 124</ref> Ranariddh, who had not been consulted, expressed surprise. At the same time, the United States and China opposed the plan, prompting Sihanouk to rescind his decision the following day.<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 125</ref> On 10 June 1993, CPP leaders led by General Sin Song and Chakrapong threatened to secede eight eastern provinces from Cambodia.<ref>Mehta (2013), p. 238</ref> Ranariddh feared a civil war with the CPP,<ref name="Peou174"/> which had a much larger army than the ANS.<ref>Peou (2000), p. 215</ref>

Accordingly, he accepted the idea of FUNCINPEC working with the CPP,<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 102</ref> and both parties agreed to a dual prime minister arrangement in the new government.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 104</ref> On 14 June, Ranariddh presided over a parliamentary meeting which made Sihanouk the Head of State, with Hun Sen and Ranariddh serving as co-Prime Ministers in an interim government.<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 129</ref> A new constitution was drafted over the next three months, and was adopted in early September. On 24 September 1993, Sihanouk resigned as the head of state and was reinstated as King of Cambodia.  In the new government, Ranariddh and Hun Sen were appointed the First Prime Minister and Second Prime Minister, respectively.<ref>Summers (2003), pp. 232–33</ref>