During a year in which Cambodia was afflicted by both a prolonged drought and subsequent costly floods, there is no question as to what was the dominant feature of the country's politics. Throughout 2002, Prime Minister Hun Sen continued to consolidate his position as the most powerful politician in the kingdom. He marginalized his opponents and not-so-subtly made clear that King Norodom Sihanouk, while welcome to play a ceremonial role, has no place in the country's political life. To a large extent, Hun Sen's primacy may be seen as the continuation of a trend that began in July 1997, when the Prime Minister used a savage coup to shatter FUNCINPEC (Front Uni National Pour Un Cambodge Indépendant, Neutre, Pacifique, et Coopératif), the major alternative political force within the country, which is led by Sihanouk's son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Yet more than just continuity was involved, as the year saw Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) achieve a remarkable sweep of commune elections and the steady decline of FUNCINPEC into factional squabbling. At the same time, the always vocal Sam Rainsy, leader of the small opposition Sam Rainsy Party, was unable to be more than an annoying gadfly on the broader body politic.

Hun Sen's dominant role has not meant that Cambodia during 2002 was free of controversies — far from it. The issue of trials for former Khmer Rouge (KR) leaders remained unresolved and problems of corruption associated with the logging industry continued to dog this vital export industry. The programme for the demobilization of Cambodia's excessively large military is not complete, with attendant links to corrupt practices on the part of the army's top brass. In terms of the application of justice, the frequently criticized culture of impunity for the rich and privileged has not disappeared. How to develop the economy remained a matter for debate that spilled over into issues associated with the management of Cambodia's major tourist attraction, the great temple complex at Angkor.