Presidential elections in Myanmar

Htin Kyaw very possible will be 'puppet president'. Aung San Suu Kyi will be above the president and effectively running the government. It means more liberal course and next stage of the "de-militarization" of the country.

Three candidates

Myanmar's National League for Democracy (NLD) on Thursday nominated Htin Kyaw, Aung San Suu Kyi's close aide, as presidential candidate for the country's lower house.

Former ruling party USDP nominated its current Vice President Dr Sai Mauk Kham as potential nominee. However, he was not present at the parliament.

The upper house nominees were former speaker Khin Aung Myint and Henry Van Hti Yu, an ethnic Chin NLD lawmaker.

Problem of Suu Kyi

Nobel laureate and ex political prisoner Suu Kyi personally is barred from holding the presidency because her children are not Myanmar citizens. She has said "she would run the country anyway through a proxy".

The NLD won a huge parliamentary majority in elections in November, so the candidate it backs for the presidency is likely to take the top job. Вoth houses are comfortably dominated by Suu Kyi's party.

Process of elections

The country's upper house, lower house and the military will each nominate a candidate. The joint parliament will then vote, with the winner elected president and the two losing candidates automatically become vice presidents.

Role and functions of the President

The President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is the head of state and head of government of Myanmar and leads the executive branch of the Burmese government, and heads the Cabinet of Myanmar.

Forthcoming tensions with China?

According to Аsian media Aung San Suu Kyi's incoming government is considering a rethink of a controversial Chinese-backed dam in Myanmar and looking for ways to end a military conglomerate's "privileges", according to her party's economic advisor Hantha Myint.

Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) - a military conglomerate that runs business interests as diverse as construction, transport and brewing

Anyway new government, which is expected to take office in early April, needing to manage delicate relations with China, its biggest trading partner.

Related links
Myanmar: Is Co-existence possible?
New Myanmar leadership looking for compromises
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