New era dawns in Myanmar as Aung Suu Kyi’s democratic party starts first day in Parliament
The day marks the end of military rule in the country after more than 50 years, and one of the MPs’ first tasks will be to choose a president.
Myanmar will convene a new session of Parliament on Monday, which will allow the country to put in place its first democratically elected government in more than 50 years. The National League for Democracy won more than 80% of the seats in the elections, marking an end to military rule that has been largely criticised for clamping down on citizens’ rights and liberties. The NLD’s leader, Aung Sann Suu Kyi will hold the key to the new political developments.
One of the Parliament’s first tasks will be to elect a new president, the BBC reported. Suu Kyi is barred from standing for the post because her sons are citizens of Britain, and not Myanmar. However, she is expected to hold power in the party above the president and direct the actions of the person who is elected to the post.
However, while the Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has been praised the world over for her progressive stands, her position on the persecuted minority, the Rohingya people, has been questionable. Suu Kyi has backed policies that do not recognise them as citizens, and severely limited their mobility. The new government might also face some trouble because the military still holds about 25% of the seats.