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| Aung San Suu Kyi will not be president of Myanmar, parliament confirms | Aung San Suu Kyi will not be president of Myanmar, parliament confirms |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Myanmar’s new parliament has nominated a senior aide to Aung San Suu Kyi to be its first democratically elected president in half a century. | Myanmar’s new parliament has nominated a senior aide to Aung San Suu Kyi to be its first democratically elected president in half a century. |
| Related: Myanmar’s moment of truth | Nick Davies | Related: Myanmar’s moment of truth | Nick Davies |
| Htin Kyaw, a 69-year-old economics graduate, writer and close adviser to the nation’s democracy icon, was formally put forward for the vice-presidential position during a session at the lower house on Thursday morning. | |
| Myanmar’s electoral system requires that the president be voted in from a selection of names put forward by lawmakers. The losing candidates will become vice-presidents. | Myanmar’s electoral system requires that the president be voted in from a selection of names put forward by lawmakers. The losing candidates will become vice-presidents. |
| Henry Van Thio, an ethnic minority Chin candidate, was also nominated by the NLD in parliament’s upper house, and a further candidate will be chosen by the military. | Henry Van Thio, an ethnic minority Chin candidate, was also nominated by the NLD in parliament’s upper house, and a further candidate will be chosen by the military. |
| Two candidates have also been nominated by the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development party: Khin Aung Myint and Sai Mauk Kham. | Two candidates have also been nominated by the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development party: Khin Aung Myint and Sai Mauk Kham. |
| The USDP now has very little representation in parliament so, while one of its candidates will automatically become a vice-president, it is unclear what – if any – position the losing nominee will have. | The USDP now has very little representation in parliament so, while one of its candidates will automatically become a vice-president, it is unclear what – if any – position the losing nominee will have. |
| But it is Htin Kyaw, a senior executive with a charitable foundation named for Aung San Suu Kyi’s mother, who is tipped as the ruling party’s favourite to play “benchwarmer” for their leader. | But it is Htin Kyaw, a senior executive with a charitable foundation named for Aung San Suu Kyi’s mother, who is tipped as the ruling party’s favourite to play “benchwarmer” for their leader. |
| It is unclear when the final vote will take place but a director from the parliament told Reuters it was planned for Monday. | It is unclear when the final vote will take place but a director from the parliament told Reuters it was planned for Monday. |
| With a parliamentary majority of 80% secured at the polls in November, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is comfortably placed to pick a winner. | With a parliamentary majority of 80% secured at the polls in November, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is comfortably placed to pick a winner. |
| Henry Van Thio, who looks set to be confirmed as a vice-president, told the Democratic Voice of Burma: “I wasn’t expecting to be nominated for presidency and I am absolutely delighted with the news. | Henry Van Thio, who looks set to be confirmed as a vice-president, told the Democratic Voice of Burma: “I wasn’t expecting to be nominated for presidency and I am absolutely delighted with the news. |
| Related: Myanmar's military goes to 'democracy school' with new civilian MPs | Related: Myanmar's military goes to 'democracy school' with new civilian MPs |
| “As a Chin, this will be the highest post we ever get to serve for the country and I am proud of that. I hope that my ethnic brothers and sisters would be happy for me.” | “As a Chin, this will be the highest post we ever get to serve for the country and I am proud of that. I hope that my ethnic brothers and sisters would be happy for me.” |
| In a statement published on her party website early on Thursday, Aung San Suu Kyi asked supporters to support the party’s choices “gracefully”, adding: “This is an important step in implementing the desires and expectations of voters who enthusiastically supported the NLD.” | |
| The NLD leader is constitutionally barred from the presidency because her sons are British, but she has vowed to rule from “above” – ideally until she can persuade the military to amend the charter. | |
| While the paranoid junta who ruled for almost 50 years handed over power to a nominally civilian government in 2011, the constitution it penned reserved significant powers for the army. | While the paranoid junta who ruled for almost 50 years handed over power to a nominally civilian government in 2011, the constitution it penned reserved significant powers for the army. |
| Talks about altering or suspending the clause that blocks Aung San Suu Kyi have so far been unsuccessful. | Talks about altering or suspending the clause that blocks Aung San Suu Kyi have so far been unsuccessful. |
| The politician’s intention to rule by proxy has a precedent in Sonia Gandhi, India’s Congress party leader, who controlled prime minister Mahmohan Singh’s government before losing power in 2014. | The politician’s intention to rule by proxy has a precedent in Sonia Gandhi, India’s Congress party leader, who controlled prime minister Mahmohan Singh’s government before losing power in 2014. |