PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- About 56,817 national and 94 foreign observers will monitor the fourth mandate commune elections in Cambodia on June 4, the National Election Committee (NEC) said on Saturday.

The national observers come from 14 associations and non-governmental organizations, as the international observers come from the European Union and embassies of 13 countries to Cambodia as well as the U.S.-backed National Democratic Institute (NDI), the NEC said in a press release.

Twelve political parties will compete in the upcoming elections, with the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) being the major contestants in the elections, according to the NEC.

Held once every five years, the commune elections are to choose commune chiefs and councilors for the kingdom's 1,646 communes, the NEC said, adding that around 7.87 million eligible voters are expected to cast their ballots.

In the last commune elections in June 2012, the ruling CPP gained 61.9 percent of the votes, compared to about 30.6 percent for the opposition. Enditem

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