General Min Aung Hlaing, the military commander who spearheaded the 2021 coup against Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, has been elected Myanmar’s new president.
The appointment comes five years after he initially pledged to hold elections and restore civilian governance within a single year, reports BBC.
To comply with constitutional prerequisites for the presidency, Hlaing has resigned from his position as head of the armed forces. However, the transition is being viewed as a continuation of military authority under a civilian veneer.
The parliament is heavily populated by his supporters, with the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) claiming nearly 80% of the available seats in a process widely seen as skewed in its favour.
This is in addition to the 25% of parliamentary seats already reserved for the military by law. To ensure his continued dominance, the General has formed a new consultative council with supreme oversight of both military and civil matters.
He has also installed a close loyalist and known hardliner, General Ye Win Oo, to succeed him as the military chief. The period since the 1 February 2021 coup has been marked by significant turmoil.
The military’s crackdown on dissent sparked a widespread civil war that has claimed thousands of lives and uprooted nearly four million people.
United Nations data indicates that over 16 million citizens now require urgent humanitarian assistance. In a final address as commander during a military parade in the capital, Hlaing expressed no remorse for the coup’s aftermath.
He reiterated that the military holds a constitutional duty for “constructive engagement in national politics” and characterised the opposition as “armed terrorist factions”. Conversely, the National Unity Government (NUG), which operates from resistance-controlled territories, has denounced the new administration and the recent elections as entirely illegitimate.
NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt vowed that the revolution would persist until the military is removed from the political sphere.
Su Mon, a senior analyst at ACLED, noted that the conflict is unlikely to subside, predicting continued air and drone strikes as the military seeks to reclaim roughly 90 towns currently held by resistance forces.
The nation is also grappling with a severe economic downturn and a fuel crisis exacerbated by conflict in the Middle East.
As Myanmar relies on imports for 90% of its petroleum, the disruption has led to strict rationing and price surges that have left many, including local workers like taxi driver Tin Oo, struggling to afford necessities.
Amid the ongoing deadlock, veteran activist Mya Aye has advocated for a negotiated settlement and the release of all political detainees, including the 80-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi.
While there is some anticipation that Hlaing might grant her freedom later this year, analysts suggest the prospects for a peaceful resolution remain extremely limited.
