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Myanmar parliament elects first civilian president in decades | Myanmar parliament elects first civilian president in decades |
(35 minutes later) | |
Myanmar's parliament has elected Htin Kyaw as the next president, the first civilian to lead the country after more than 50 years of military rule. | Myanmar's parliament has elected Htin Kyaw as the next president, the first civilian to lead the country after more than 50 years of military rule. |
Htin Kyaw is a close ally of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party swept to victory in historic elections in November. | Htin Kyaw is a close ally of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party swept to victory in historic elections in November. |
He beat another NLD candidate and one put forward by the military. | He beat another NLD candidate and one put forward by the military. |
Ms Suu Kyi is barred from the post due to a constitutional clause, but has said she would be above the president. | Ms Suu Kyi is barred from the post due to a constitutional clause, but has said she would be above the president. |
Htin Kyaw won with 360 of the 652 votes cast. | Htin Kyaw won with 360 of the 652 votes cast. |
In second place was military-nominated Myint Swe, who received 213 votes, followed by the other NLD candidate, Henry Van Thio, who got 79 votes. | |
They will serve as first vice-president and second vice-president respectively. | They will serve as first vice-president and second vice-president respectively. |
Who is Htin Kyaw? | |
Htin Kyaw will replace Thein Sein who will step down at the end of the month after five years of army-backed rule. | |
The NLD has a huge majority in both houses of parliament, despite the military occupying 25% of seats, so the candidate it backed was always seen as all but guaranteed to win. | |
Ms Suu Kyi could not run for president because a clause in the constitution widely seen as being tailored against her says anyone whose children have another nationality cannot become president. Her children hold British passports. | |
How Suu Kyi could be more powerful outside the presidency | |
Despite weeks of negotiation prior to the vote, the NLD were unable to persuade the military of Myanmar - also known as Burma - to remove or suspend the clause to allow Ms Suu Kyi to take office. | |
But she has always said that she would run the country anyway, with the president effectively acting as a proxy. |