Aung San Suu Kyi’s party sweeps Myanmar polls

Five years to the day since her release from house arrest, pro-democracy icon’s party wins majority in parliament.

Yangon  Exactly five years to the day since Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, her opposition party has won the majority of seats in historic elections in Myanmar.

The pro-democracy icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner is due to meet on Sunday, November 15, some of the country’s most important figures, including President Thein Sein, to discuss the transition of power.

As of Saturday, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, has won 247 seats in the lower house and 131 seats in the upper house, for a total of 378 seats in the entire parliament. 

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That number is well beyond the 329 votes required for the party to elect the next president of the country.

But a quarter of the seats are allocated to the military, which means it will remain hugely influential on the conduct of the government. The military will also remain in charge of the country’s national security portfolio.

Myanmar’s constitution bars Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president because she married a British citizen and her children have British passports.

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But as party leader, she wields influence in determining who will lead the country.

She could also push for the amendment of the constitution, allowing her to eventually become the president.

Source: Al Jazeera