When Ranariddh expressed guidance for Savoeun in May 2002, Hockry resigned. In March 2002, the Deputy Commander-in-chief of the RCAF - Khan Savoeun, accused You Hockry, the co-Minister of the Interior, of corruption and nepotism, functions which Savoeun claimed had alienated voters. After his appointment, Ranariddh labored with Hun Sen to re-integrate the FUNCINPEC-aligned troops into the RCAF. Hun Sen turned down their calls for, bringing a number of months of political stalemate. In March 2007, Ranariddh was convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of embezzlement of the sale proceeds of FUNCINPEC headquarters, and sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment. Two months later, Ranariddh retired from politics for a 2nd time and resigned as the president of NRP. For the upcoming 1-and-a-50 percent several years, Ranariddh and Nhek Bun Chhay negotiated a merger involving NRP and FUNCINPEC. In November 2007, he proposed a merger between the NRP, SRP and the Human Rights Party, Big ass naked to better their prospective buyers from the CPP in the 2008 normal elections.



The merger agreement was rescinded a month later on, when Nhek Bun Chhay accused Ranariddh of supporting other opposition get-togethers. Hun Sen also pressured Ranariddh into supporting a constitutional modification identified as a "package deal vote", which necessary MPs to guidance laws and ministerial appointments by an open up demonstrate of palms. After the "deal vote" modification was passed in July 2004, numerous FUNCINPEC leaders resigned in protest. Chea Sim, the SRP as nicely as numerous senior leaders within just FUNCINPEC. They also refused to guidance a CPP-led federal government, which wanted the joint support of extra MPs from FUNCINPEC or SRP to achieve the two-thirds the vast majority in forming a new authorities. Following Ranariddh's departure, Sihanouk urged him to return with a watch to signing up for the CPP in a coalition authorities, reckoning that FUNCINPEC faced the prospect of breaking up if Ranariddh refused. Hun Sen then proposed to Ranariddh that he return to FUNCINPEC. In March 2004, Ranariddh privately proposed to Hun Sen that FUNCINPEC must join CPP in the new federal government as a junior coalition husband or wife.



In a March 1996 interview with the Cambodia Daily, Sihanouk encouraged Ranariddh to thrive him as king, but also expressed concern that a leadership vacuum inside of FUNCINPEC would arise, really should Ranariddh accede. Both new get-togethers captivated sizeable numbers of FUNCINPEC defectors, who have been seemingly disappointed with Ranariddh's management. Both Ranariddh and Rainsy denied any involvement, but fled to Bangkok the following working day, fearing federal government crackdowns on their get-togethers. Rainsy had initial proposed the amendment in February 2006, who had hoped that a straightforward greater part would make it simpler for his get together to sort a governing administration need to they gain in upcoming elections. Subsequently, in August 2003, Ranariddh and Rainsy formed a new political alliance, the "Alliance of Democrats" (Ad), and with each other they lobbied upon the CPP to type a 3-get together government consisting of the CPP, FUNCINPEC and the SRP. Both Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy, whose SRP experienced also participated in the elections, expressed unhappiness with the consequence of the election, and once all over again accused the CPP of winning via fraud and voter intimidation. Sam Rainsy, now president of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), accused Ranariddh of intending to split the opposition vote to favour the ruling CPP in long term elections.



Though they have been runners-up at the rear of the Cambodian People's Party, their tally of preferred vote was much less than the 594,659 invalid ballots solid by disenfranchised supporters of the former opposition. In March 2014, Ranariddh arrived out of retirement to start a new political bash, the Community of Royalist People's Party (CRPP). Ranariddh protested against the dismissals, and resigned as the President of the National Assembly on fourteen March. In November 2017, he returned to the National Assembly as a member of parliament, subsequent the dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, immediately after which the FUNCINPEC received forty one of the fifty five vacated seats. In mid-November, Ranariddh returned to Cambodia and fashioned the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), of which he turned its president. The NRP subsequently dropped their accusations, soon after Hun Sen brokered a top secret offer with Ranariddh which authorized the latter to return from exile, in exchange for the NRP's recognition of the election effects. In late 2010, NRP and FUNCINPEC leaders such as Nhek Bun Chhay publicly known as for Ranariddh to return to politics. In September 2008, Ranariddh obtained a royal pardon from Sihamoni (who had succeeded to the throne in October 2004) for his embezzlement conviction, allowing him to return to Cambodia without the need of risking imprisonment.