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| Myanmar elections: ruling party concedes defeat to Aung San Suu Kyi | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.39am GMT06:39 | |
| RULING USDP PARTY CONCEDES DEFEAT | |
| The party chairman has conceded defeat, according to Reuters. | |
| Updated at 6.40am GMT | |
| 6.31am GMT06:31 | |
| Even the state-backed newspaper, the Global New Light, has got in on the act with this front page. | |
| 6.28am GMT06:28 | |
| Opposition NLD has 70% of votes so far – party spokesman | |
| Associated Press reporting that the NLD has won 70% of votes counted so far, which would put it in power. The threshold was 67%. | |
| Updated at 6.29am GMT | |
| 6.27am GMT06:27 | |
| The Myanmar Times is providing lots of unconfirmed results from around the country. Most of them suggest that the NLD is on course for the landslide predicted by party officials earlier. | |
| For example, the news site points to the outcome – unofficial – in what it describes as the “key battleground” of Pyin Oo Lwin in the central Mandalay region. | |
| It says that in the No 2 parliament seat, the region’s chief minister U Ye Myint has lost in a major upset to the NLD’s Dr Khin Maung Htay. The opposition polled 33,153 votes to U Ye Myint’s 22,808, the site says. | |
| The Times says the NLD appears to have won narrow victories in several of the region’s other seats. | |
| 6.15am GMT06:15 | |
| 'The whole country is happy' | |
| Many of the 30 million people eligible to vote in the elections will have been doing so for the first time after decades of harsh military rule. | |
| This comment to an Associated Press reporter from 71-year-old Khin Maung Htay, is a nice summation of their feelings. | |
| There is no way the NLD will lose the election. I am so happy and I am not the only person, the whole country is happy. I think she is a perfect leader for our country and a woman of perfection. | |
| She’s not named, but I think we know who the “woman of perfection” is. | |
| 6.06am GMT06:06 | 6.06am GMT06:06 |
| 6pm timing of results confirmed | 6pm timing of results confirmed |
| A handy tweet here from the country’s election commission confirming that the chairman will speak to the media at 3pm and election results will start being announced at 6pm. These are Myanmar timings, obviously, which is 6.5 hours ahead of GMT. | A handy tweet here from the country’s election commission confirming that the chairman will speak to the media at 3pm and election results will start being announced at 6pm. These are Myanmar timings, obviously, which is 6.5 hours ahead of GMT. |
| 5.56am GMT05:56 | 5.56am GMT05:56 |
| Poll 'far from perfect' – John Kerry | Poll 'far from perfect' – John Kerry |
| The US secretary of state John Kerry has released a statement congratulating Myanmar on the elections, which as we have reported, appear to have passed relatively peacefully. | The US secretary of state John Kerry has released a statement congratulating Myanmar on the elections, which as we have reported, appear to have passed relatively peacefully. |
| He said the election was a “testament to the courage and sacrifice shown by the people of Burma over many decades”. | He said the election was a “testament to the courage and sacrifice shown by the people of Burma over many decades”. |
| However he went on to say: | However he went on to say: |
| While these elections were an important step forward, we recognise that they were far from perfect. There remain important structural and systemic impediments to the realisation of full democratic and civilian government, including the reservation of a large number of unelected seats for the military; the disfranchisement of groups of people who voted in previous elections, including the Rohingya; and the disqualification of candidates based on arbitrary application of citizenship and residency requirements.The United States, along with the domestic and international observers, has closely monitored the electoral process. We will continue to watch the vote counting process, and encourage all parties to help ensure the tabulation is transparent and credible and any complaints are addressed promptly, transparently, and appropriately.We encourage the political leaders in the country to work together in the spirit of national unity and democratic reform to seek what is best for the country. A peaceful post-election period is crucial for stability and maintaining the confidence of the people in the credibility of the electoral process and the overall political transition. | While these elections were an important step forward, we recognise that they were far from perfect. There remain important structural and systemic impediments to the realisation of full democratic and civilian government, including the reservation of a large number of unelected seats for the military; the disfranchisement of groups of people who voted in previous elections, including the Rohingya; and the disqualification of candidates based on arbitrary application of citizenship and residency requirements.The United States, along with the domestic and international observers, has closely monitored the electoral process. We will continue to watch the vote counting process, and encourage all parties to help ensure the tabulation is transparent and credible and any complaints are addressed promptly, transparently, and appropriately.We encourage the political leaders in the country to work together in the spirit of national unity and democratic reform to seek what is best for the country. A peaceful post-election period is crucial for stability and maintaining the confidence of the people in the credibility of the electoral process and the overall political transition. |
| 5.50am GMT05:50 | 5.50am GMT05:50 |
| 5.45am GMT05:45 | 5.45am GMT05:45 |
| More from Oliver Holmes, who is at the NLD headquarters in Yangon. It sounds like a very colourful scene. Seems scarcely possible given that not long ago Suu Kyi was under house arrest by a military junta that had turned the country into an international pariah: | More from Oliver Holmes, who is at the NLD headquarters in Yangon. It sounds like a very colourful scene. Seems scarcely possible given that not long ago Suu Kyi was under house arrest by a military junta that had turned the country into an international pariah: |
| Anyway, here’s Oliver’s description of the scene: | Anyway, here’s Oliver’s description of the scene: |
| I’m at the NLD headquarters in Yangon, where there’s a crowd of sweating people wearing red t-shirts with the golden peacock of the NLD on it. Music is blaring from large speakers. | I’m at the NLD headquarters in Yangon, where there’s a crowd of sweating people wearing red t-shirts with the golden peacock of the NLD on it. Music is blaring from large speakers. |
| There were thousands here last night waiting for Aung San Suu Kyi but she never appeared and made an unexpected speech earlier today to a small group.It feels like a celebration here, even though the election results will not be officially announced until much later this evening. Cars are still running along the road, some of their passengers waving as they go by. | There were thousands here last night waiting for Aung San Suu Kyi but she never appeared and made an unexpected speech earlier today to a small group.It feels like a celebration here, even though the election results will not be officially announced until much later this evening. Cars are still running along the road, some of their passengers waving as they go by. |
| 5.36am GMT05:36 | 5.36am GMT05:36 |
| 5.36am GMT05:36 | 5.36am GMT05:36 |
| As promised, here’s more on how the election will work. | As promised, here’s more on how the election will work. |
| The army, which has ruled Myanmar for decades, is guaranteed a certain number of seats in parliament. | The army, which has ruled Myanmar for decades, is guaranteed a certain number of seats in parliament. |
| There were more than 6,000 candidates and 91 registered political parties competing for 498 seats for five-year terms in the upper and lower houses of the Hluttaw, Myanmar’s parliament. But the main battle is between the NLD and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). | There were more than 6,000 candidates and 91 registered political parties competing for 498 seats for five-year terms in the upper and lower houses of the Hluttaw, Myanmar’s parliament. But the main battle is between the NLD and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). |
| Suu Kyi’s NLD party must take 67% of all contested seats in order to gain a majority. If her party does that and forms a government, it will be the first democratically elected one since the early 1960s. | Suu Kyi’s NLD party must take 67% of all contested seats in order to gain a majority. If her party does that and forms a government, it will be the first democratically elected one since the early 1960s. |
| Here’s Oliver’s explainer from a few days ago if you would like to read more. | Here’s Oliver’s explainer from a few days ago if you would like to read more. |
| 5.30am GMT05:30 | 5.30am GMT05:30 |
| NLD to complain over count procedure | NLD to complain over count procedure |
| U Win Htein said the voting procedure had been changed at the last minute sothat votes were sent to the capital and not first announced at townships. He said the NLD had filed a complaint. | U Win Htein said the voting procedure had been changed at the last minute sothat votes were sent to the capital and not first announced at townships. He said the NLD had filed a complaint. |
| We have filed a complaint to the election commission as it is against the law. We should have known results last night. | We have filed a complaint to the election commission as it is against the law. We should have known results last night. |
| 5.26am GMT05:26 | 5.26am GMT05:26 |
| NLD expects landslide | NLD expects landslide |
| Oliver Holmes in Yangon has just spoken to a National League for Democracy spokesman, U Win Htein, who said: | Oliver Holmes in Yangon has just spoken to a National League for Democracy spokesman, U Win Htein, who said: |
| According to our initial information collected from townships, we are winning by 80%. | According to our initial information collected from townships, we are winning by 80%. |
| Much of the counting had already taken place, he added. | Much of the counting had already taken place, he added. |
| More on exactly what means and the mechanics of the election in a moment. | More on exactly what means and the mechanics of the election in a moment. |
| 5.22am GMT05:22 | 5.22am GMT05:22 |
| Suu Kyi addresses supporters | Suu Kyi addresses supporters |
| Addressing supporters from a platform in Yangon a short time ago, Suu Kyi said that the results would not be announced soon, “but I think you all have the idea” of the results. | Addressing supporters from a platform in Yangon a short time ago, Suu Kyi said that the results would not be announced soon, “but I think you all have the idea” of the results. |
| It is still a bit early to congratulate our candidates who will be the winners. | It is still a bit early to congratulate our candidates who will be the winners. |
| She then added a warning that her party should be gracious in victory: | She then added a warning that her party should be gracious in victory: |
| I want to remind you all that even candidates who didn’t win have to accept the winners but it is important not to provoke the candidates who didn’t win to make them feel bad. | I want to remind you all that even candidates who didn’t win have to accept the winners but it is important not to provoke the candidates who didn’t win to make them feel bad. |
| 5.16am GMT05:16 | 5.16am GMT05:16 |
| Good afternoon/morning, and welcome to the live blog on the Myanmar elections in which the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has hinted that she expects her National League for Democracy party to score a convincing victory. | Good afternoon/morning, and welcome to the live blog on the Myanmar elections in which the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has hinted that she expects her National League for Democracy party to score a convincing victory. |
| The latest take from our reporter Oliver Holmes in the country’s main city of Yangon – formerly Rangoon – is here. | The latest take from our reporter Oliver Holmes in the country’s main city of Yangon – formerly Rangoon – is here. |
| More from Oliver soon and those comments from Suu Kyi. But the main points so far are: | More from Oliver soon and those comments from Suu Kyi. But the main points so far are: |