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| Suu Kyi 'will be above president' if NLD wins Myanmar election | Suu Kyi 'will be above president' if NLD wins Myanmar election |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said she would be "above the president" if her National League for Democracy wins Sunday's election. | Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said she would be "above the president" if her National League for Democracy wins Sunday's election. |
| The NLD is widely expected to do well in the election, but Ms Suu Kyi is banned from taking the role of president by the constitution. | The NLD is widely expected to do well in the election, but Ms Suu Kyi is banned from taking the role of president by the constitution. |
| The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Yangon says her comment was her strongest assertion yet that she intends to govern anyway. | The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Yangon says her comment was her strongest assertion yet that she intends to govern anyway. |
| The elections will be Myanmar's first openly contested polls in 25 years. | The elections will be Myanmar's first openly contested polls in 25 years. |
| More than 90 parties are standing in the first national elections since a nominally civilian government took power in the country, also known as Burma, in 2011. | More than 90 parties are standing in the first national elections since a nominally civilian government took power in the country, also known as Burma, in 2011. |
| On the campaign trail: the BBC's Jonathan Head in the town of Hinthada | On the campaign trail: the BBC's Jonathan Head in the town of Hinthada |
| Ms Suu Kyi told the news conference in Yangon (Rangoon), her last before polls open: "If we win and the NLD forms a government I will be above the president. It's a very simple message." | |
| She said there was nothing in the constitution which prevented this. | She said there was nothing in the constitution which prevented this. |
| Clause 58 in Myanmar's constitution, however, states that the president "takes precedence over all other persons" in the country. | Clause 58 in Myanmar's constitution, however, states that the president "takes precedence over all other persons" in the country. |
| Ms Suu Kyi cannot be president herself as the constitution bars candidates with foreign spouses or children. Her two sons hold British passports. | |
| The 2008 constitution sets out a complex process whereby parliament chooses Myanmar's president - the upper house, lower house and unelected army representatives each put forward candidates. | |
| Whoever wins most votes in a joint session of the three groups becomes president, with the two losers vice-presidents. | |
| Who Ms Suu Kyi might choose as the NLD candidate for president remains unclear. | |
| Analysis: Jonah Fisher, BBC News, Yangon | Analysis: Jonah Fisher, BBC News, Yangon |
| This is a bold statement from Aung San Suu Kyi. | This is a bold statement from Aung San Suu Kyi. |
| She's trying to reassure her supporters that voting for the National League for Democracy is the same as a vote for her. Vote NLD - get Suu Kyi. | She's trying to reassure her supporters that voting for the National League for Democracy is the same as a vote for her. Vote NLD - get Suu Kyi. |
| But further down the line it could turn out to be a blunder. | But further down the line it could turn out to be a blunder. |
| The idea that someone could be "above" the president goes against both the letter and spirit of the 2008 Burmese constitution. | The idea that someone could be "above" the president goes against both the letter and spirit of the 2008 Burmese constitution. |
| Clause 58 is pretty clear. "The president… takes precedence over all other persons throughout the Republic of the Union of Myanmar." | Clause 58 is pretty clear. "The president… takes precedence over all other persons throughout the Republic of the Union of Myanmar." |
| So there are clear constitutional issues if Suu Kyi thinks she's "above" the president and is going to give them orders. | So there are clear constitutional issues if Suu Kyi thinks she's "above" the president and is going to give them orders. |
| For now it may not seem important. But if the NLD do win a landslide on Sunday some may start looking for reasons to legally challenge the result. | For now it may not seem important. But if the NLD do win a landslide on Sunday some may start looking for reasons to legally challenge the result. |
| Ms Suu Kyi criticised the electoral process so far, saying it had been less than totally free and fair and that the electoral commission had failed to deal with irregularities. | Ms Suu Kyi criticised the electoral process so far, saying it had been less than totally free and fair and that the electoral commission had failed to deal with irregularities. |
| She also briefly touched on the Rohingya, the persecuted mostly Muslim minority who Myanmar says are not citizens and who do not have a vote. | She also briefly touched on the Rohingya, the persecuted mostly Muslim minority who Myanmar says are not citizens and who do not have a vote. |
| Ms Suu Kyi has been criticised for not speaking out on the issue, but in her news conference she said the situation should not be exaggerated. | Ms Suu Kyi has been criticised for not speaking out on the issue, but in her news conference she said the situation should not be exaggerated. |
| The constitution of Myanmar grants the military at least 25% of parliamentary seats. | |
| The NLD and any allies will need to win at least two-thirds of the remaining seats in order to choose the next president. | The NLD and any allies will need to win at least two-thirds of the remaining seats in order to choose the next president. |