Myanmar Parliament Elects Junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing as President

Myanmar's parliament elected junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as president on Friday after a vote held in a chamber dominated by pro-military lawmakers. Min Aung Hlaing received 429 out of the 584 votes cast, according to multiple reports.

The election was widely condemned as undemocratic and took place in Myanmar's newly renovated parliament building in Naypyitaw, which was damaged in last year’s earthquake. The two runners-up in the presidential race, Nyo Saw and Nan Ni Ni Aye, were elected vice presidents. Nan Ni Ni Aye became Myanmar’s first female vice president.

Min Aung Hlaing is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya Muslim minority. The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won more than 80 percent of parliamentary seats contested in recent elections that were widely condemned as a sham.

The general has long sought the presidency but faced obstacles due to Aung San Suu Kyi's electoral successes, according to analysts. Since her detention after the coup, Min Aung Hlaing has consolidated power and is expected to install loyalists in key positions. Yanghee Lee, a former UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, described him as paranoid and suspicious.

Min Aung Hlaing's military career began at the Defence Services Academy, Myanmar's elite officer training institution. He assumed command of the military during a fragile transition to democracy but maintained significant power through constitutional guarantees. The 2021 coup followed his allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi's party.

Since the coup, Min Aung Hlaing has faced accusations of widespread human rights abuses, including airstrikes on civilians and mass killings. The UN has described these as organizational policies rather than isolated incidents. Myanmar denies genocide allegations, claiming its operations target terrorists destabilizing the country.