Myanmar's Military Chief Assumes Presidency Following Controversial Election
BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, was sworn in as the country’s president on Friday, cementing his political authority nearly three years after he seized power in a coup. The move follows a general election dismissed by international observers and rights groups as a hollow exercise designed to lend a veneer of legitimacy to continued army rule.
The inauguration marks a formal transition back to a nominally civilian-led government, though the new administration is dominated by current and former military figures. Analysts view the shift as a calculated attempt to consolidate control behind a facade of democratic process, even as the nation grapples with a brutal civil conflict ignited by the 2021 takeover.
“Myanmar is back on the path to democracy and moving toward a better future,” the 69-year-old Min Aung Hlaing declared in a speech after taking the oath of office in the renovated parliament building in Naypyitaw.
His ascent follows a pattern familiar in Myanmar’s modern history, where military strongmen have used stage-managed elections to install themselves as the nation’s top leader. The December-January polls were boycotted by Aung San Suu Kyi’s popular National League for Democracy (NLD) and other major parties, and were not held in vast swathes of the country due to ongoing fighting.
A report released Friday by the non-partisan Asian Network for Free Elections, based in Bangkok, concluded the election was “carefully engineered to ensure a predetermined outcome.” It noted voting occurred in only 42% of Myanmar’s territory under rules that barred legitimate political competition.
Of the 30 new cabinet members sworn in alongside Min Aung Hlaing, 28 are current or former generals, lawmakers from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), or members of previous juntas. The pro-military bloc controls nearly 90% of parliamentary seats.
In his speech, the new president pledged to pursue peace with ethnic rebel groups and to restore normal relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which has excluded Myanmar from high-level meetings over the post-coup crisis.
The challenges are immense. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, nearly 8,000 civilians have been killed and over 22,000 remain imprisoned since the 2021 coup. Total conflict deaths are believed to be far higher. Min Aung Hlaing himself oversaw a 2017 military campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority that the UN has said bears genocidal intent.
Min Aung Hlaing relinquished his post as commander-in-chief last week, as the constitution bars the president from holding the military’s top job. He was succeeded by a close aide, General Ye Win Oo, ensuring the army’s chain of command remains intact.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the 80-year-old former leader whose elected government was ousted in 2021, is serving a 27-year prison sentence on charges widely seen as politically motivated. Her NLD party was forcibly dissolved last year after refusing to register under new military-drafted rules.
Reactions & Analysis
David Chen, Southeast Asia Analyst at the Institute for Strategic Studies: “This is a textbook consolidation of power. The election was a theater performed for an international audience, particularly ASEAN. The military’s structure of control is unchanged; they’ve merely rearranged the titles. The real question is whether this ‘civilian’ facade will alter the dynamics of the civil war or international pressure.”
Maya Roberts, Human Rights Advocate: “It’s a grotesque parody of democracy. Swearing in a man accused of genocide and overseeing the slaughter of thousands as ‘president’ after a sham vote is an insult to the people of Myanmar. The international community must reject this outright and redouble support for the legitimate resistance and humanitarian efforts.”
Khin Zaw, Retired Civil Servant in Yangon (name changed for security): “We see the same faces, the same uniforms, just in different seats. People are suffering every day from war and economic collapse. His promises of peace and normalcy ring hollow when his army is the source of the violence.”
Professor Arisara Wattanapong, Political Science, Chulalongkorn University: “The military is attempting to create a ‘new normal.’ By moving Min Aung Hlaing into the presidency, they aim to project stability and a return to constitutional order. However, without addressing the root causes of the conflict and engaging in genuine dialogue, this move is likely to deepen the crisis rather than resolve it.”