Myanmar junta chief in line for presidency as military seeks to retain power

Myanmar’s Parliament on Monday began the process of electing a new president, marking what authorities describe as a return to an elected government after five years of direct military rule. However, critics say the transition is largely symbolic and aimed at preserving the military’s grip on power.

Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing , who led the military coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February 2021 , stepped down as commander-in-chief of the armed forces on Monday, a constitutional requirement for anyone seeking the presidency. He handed command to his close aide Gen Ye Win Oo , a former military intelligence chief.

Myanmar’s political system requires three groups in Parliament — the Lower House, the Upper House and the military bloc that holds 25 per cent of the seats — to each nominate a candidate. The 586-member legislature then votes, with the top vote-getter becoming president while the other two nominees serve as vice presidents. The vote could take place later this week after nominees are vetted.

Min Aung Hlaing, who has led the military since 2011, is widely expected to win because lawmakers from military-backed parties dominate the legislature after controversial elections held in phases between December 2025 and January 2026 .

The polls were widely criticised as unfair. Major opposition parties, including Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy , were either barred from contesting or refused to participate. Suu Kyi, now 80, is serving a 27-year prison sentence in cases widely seen as politically motivated.

Myanmar has experienced decades of military dominance since 1962, interrupted only briefly by civilian rule beginning in 2016. The 2021 coup triggered mass protests that were violently suppressed, escalating into a nationwide civil war that has killed nearly 93,000 people and displaced more than 3.6 million .

Security concerns meant voting in the recent election could be held in only 263 of Myanmar’s 330 townships , underscoring the continuing instability gripping the country.