Naypyidaw: Myanmar's junta strongman Min Aung Hlaing took a significant step closer to becoming the country's civilian president after lawmakers nominated him for a three-way runoff, largely seen as a formality. The 69-year-old general has governed Myanmar since a 2021 coup that ousted the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. During a period marked by armed internal conflict, Min Aung Hlaing has overseen severe repression against dissent, including the criminalization of protest.
According to Deutsche Welle, Min Aung Hlaing's path to the presidency was further facilitated after he was replaced by a close ally, former spymaster Ye Win Oo, as military commander. This change allows him to focus on the upcoming parliament-wide vote, where he will compete against two other candidates for the office of president. The parliament, mostly loyal to the army, is expected to favor his nomination.
The recent developments come in the wake of landslide victories by pro-military parties in the parliamentary election held in January. Lower house MP Kyaw Kyaw Htay nominated Min Aung Hlaing as the country’s vice-president, setting the stage for the forthcoming vote for president.
The junta's quest for legitimacy follows a history of military influence in Myanmar's politics. In 2011, military leaders succumbed to international pressure, releasing Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and permitting her to assume a civilian leadership role after decades of military dictatorship. However, after her party's overwhelming victory in the 2020 elections, analysts suggest that Min Aung Hlaing's dissatisfaction with the diminishing influence of the army led to the coup.
"This political maneuvering signals that Min Aung Hlaing intends to continue ruling the country with an iron fist," said analyst Naing Min Khant of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar, as reported by French news agency AFP. "He fundamentally lacks legitimacy but desperately craves the facade of it."