Myanmar Clears Path for Junta Leader to Become President

Min Aung Hlaing’s position as military commander will now be taken by his trusted associate. The 69-year-old general, who has governed Myanmar since the 2021 coup that ousted the democratically elected administration of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is set to face a presidential contest involving three candidates. This process, dominated by a legislature largely aligned with the armed forces, appears to be a procedural step toward his eventual ascension.

Following the coup, Min Aung Hlaing has imposed strict controls on opposition voices, including laws that penalize public dissent. These actions have contributed to pro-junta parties securing decisive wins in January’s parliamentary elections. On Monday, a parliamentary representative proposed Min Aung Hlaing for vice-president, positioning him for a subsequent presidential vote. The transition also includes appointing Ye Win Oo, a military confidant, as the new head of the armed forces.

In 2011, Myanmar’s military leaders yielded to global pressure, releasing Aung San Suu Kyi from detention and allowing her to assume a civilian leadership role. However, the 2020 election results, where her party overcame pro-military factions, reportedly triggered Min Aung Hlaing’s frustration with the army’s diminishing sway. “This political maneuvering signals that Min Aung Hlaing intends to continue ruling the country with an iron fist,” said Naing Min Khant of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar. “He fundamentally lacks legitimacy but desperately craves the facade of it.”

“This political maneuvering signals that Min Aung Hlaing intends to continue ruling the country with an iron fist,” analyst Naing Min Khant of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar told French news agency AFP. “He fundamentally lacks legitimacy but desperately craves the facade of it.”