Myanmar Junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing Formally Elected President by Military ParliamentMin Aung Hlaing’s Election and Its ImplicationsBackground to the ElectionApril 3 (Reuters) - Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was elected president on Friday after breezing through a parliamentary vote, formalising his grip on political power in the war-torn nation five years after he ousted an elected government in a coup. The Parliamentary VoteOn Friday, lawmakers from the dominant Union Solidarity and Development Party and the military's quota of appointed armed forces legislators coalesced to back Min Aung Hlaing, with the former commander-in-chief winning the vote by a huge margin. Despite initially trailing to Nyo Saw, a retired general and the junta's prime minister, Min Aung Hlaing pulled ahead to win 429 votes to Nyo Saw's 126. 'Dreams Becoming Reality': Min Aung Hlaing’s AmbitionsMin Aung Hlaing's ascent to the presidency - a position that analysts say he has long sought - followed a major reshuffle in the leadership of Myanmar's armed forces, which he had led since 2011. It was not clear if Min Aung Hlaing attended the vote and he was not seen during a broadcast of the proceedings on state television.

Source: The Guardian April 03, 2026 20:33 UTC