Naypyidaw: Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has been elected the country’s President after he secured more votes among the three nominees, media reported on Friday.
Hlaing’s two Vice Presidents are former military-appointed Prime Minister Nyo Saw, a longtime loyalist, and Nan Ni Ni Aye, the Karen State chair of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), The Irrawaddy reported.
In the days leading up to his election, Min Aung Hlaing stepped down as commander-in-chief and appointed General Ye Win Oo to the post. The handover ceremony of the commander-in-chief of defence services was held at the Zeyathiri Beikman in Naypyidaw on Monday.
On Monday, Myanmar’s lower house, Pyithu Hluttaw, had nominated Min Aung Hlaing as a vice-presidential candidate, the state-run Myanmar Radio and Television reported. As per Myanmar’s constitution, the Union Parliament elects the President from among three vice-presidential candidates.
Elections were held in Myanmar in December 2025 and January 2026. The USDP secured a win in the elections, where the majority of opposition parties were barred from participating, The Irrawaddy reported.
Min Aung Hlaing has ruled Myanmar since 2021, when he ordered a coup toppling the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. After the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, secured a win in both 2015 and 2020 elections, Min Aung Hlaing claimed the latter vote was marred by electoral fraud and used the accusation to launch his coup.
At the time, he mentioned that it was not a power grab but a necessary measure taken amid a constitutional “state of emergency.” Following the military takeover, the Myanmar junta annulled the 2020 election results, dissolved the NLD and detained Aung San Suu Kyi, cabinet members, and thousands of democracy activists.
(IANS)
