Following his return, Ranariddh retired from politics and pledged to support the CPP-led government. He dedicated most of his time to philanthropic work and supporting royal activities. In late 2010, NRP and FUNCINPEC leaders including Nhek Bun Chhay publicly called for Ranariddh to return to politics. Ranariddh initially resisted the calls, but changed his mind and returned in December 2010. For the next one-and-a-half years, Ranariddh and Nhek Bun Chhay negotiated for a merger between NRP and FUNCINPEC. An agreement was formalised in May 2012, whereby Ranariddh would be made the president of FUNCINPEC, while Nhek Bun Chhay would become its vice-president. The merger agreement was rescinded a month later, when Nhek Bun Chhay accused Ranariddh of supporting other opposition parties. Two months later, Ranariddh retired from politics for a second time and resigned as the president of NRP.