Myanmar Junta Chief Ascends to President, Five Years After Coup
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- U Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar’s ruling junta, was elected president by the country's Parliament, marking the culmination of his long-standing ambition to be recognized as the nation's true leader.
- Having stepped down as military commander in chief, Min Aung Hlaing, 69, is now expected to present himself as a civilian head of state, though analysts predict little change in Myanmar’s political direction.
- Critics highlight his role in the military coup, the killing of thousands of civilians, and the genocide of Rohingya Muslims, warning that his presidency will likely continue the regime’s violent tactics against pro-democracy rebels and ethnic armed groups.
- The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights condemned his presidency as a formalization of a brutal system that exacerbates social divisions and undermines democracy and human rights in Myanmar.
- Min Aung Hlaing was elected with 429 out of 584 votes, defeating two other candidates who became vice presidents in a process widely seen as predetermined by the military-controlled Parliament.
