Myanmar Junta Leader Min Aung Hlaing Nominated as President Amidst Military Control
Min Aung Hlaing's Presidential Nomination
Naypyidaw, March 30: The leader of Myanmar's military junta, Min Aung Hlaing, has been put forward as a presidential candidate in a parliamentary process aimed at solidifying his authority over the nation, according to local media reports on Monday.
Additionally, the junta appointed Ye Win Oo, the current Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Army, to take over as Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services.
Ye Win Oo officially replaced Min Aung Hlaing, who has held the position since 2011, during a ceremony at the Zeyathiri Beikman in Naypyidaw on Monday, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
Min Aung Hlaing has been in control of Myanmar since a coup in 2021 that ousted the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, as noted by Myanmar Now.
In a parliamentary vote conducted in Naypyitaw on Monday, a legislature dominated by military appointees and allies of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) selected Min Aung Hlaing as President, marking his transition from military leader to head of state.
According to the military's constitution, the bicameral parliament is responsible for nominating two presidential candidates, while military representatives, who occupy 25 percent of the parliamentary seats, nominate a third candidate.
The candidate receiving the highest number of votes is declared President, while the other two become vice presidents.
During the session, the lower house nominated Min Aung Hlaing, while the upper house chose Union Solidarity and Development Party lawmaker Nang Ni Ni Aye as a candidate, as reported by Myanmar Now.
This development follows years of military rule, which included the detention of elected officials like Aung San Suu Kyi and the dismantling of democratic frameworks.
Earlier this month, two former generals were appointed as speakers for the upper and lower houses of parliament. Khin Yi, a former national police chief and junta cabinet minister, was elected as the speaker of the lower chamber, while Aung Lin Dwe, a significant figure in the 2021 coup, was appointed as the speaker of the upper chamber.