Myanmar's parliament opened its first session in five years since the 2021 coup, with the majority of members being politicians supporting the military and active-duty soldiers. This followed an election criticized as being controlled by the military government. Experts see this as an attempt to create legitimacy for the military regime.
Myanmar's parliament convened for the first time since the 2021 coup, with the atmosphere dominated by representatives mostly allied with the military government. The election was widely observed as pre-planned by top leaders. The parliamentary session began at about 10:00 a.m. local time to elect the speaker amid tight security.
Most members attending this session come from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), a military-backed party founded by former generals. The remaining seats are reserved for active-duty military officers, who, according to the constitution, hold one-quarter of the seats without election.
Analysts and democracy watchdogs described the elections held in December and January as "staged" by the military government, citing bans on election criticism and the exclusion of many areas under rebel control from voting.
Global attention focuses on the future of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader, who is expected to leave his uniform to become president in the new government taking office next month. The presidency is decided by votes in both houses, which are currently dominated by military supporters.
Tom Andrews, a UN human rights expert on Myanmar, said, "This is a military government in civilian clothes," adding that regardless of Min Aung Hlaing's role, the military will remain the clear power behind the scenes.
In 2020, Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD party won a landslide election. In 2021, the military staged a coup citing election fraud, detained Suu Kyi, and dissolved the NLD, leading to civil war. Currently, the USDP holds more than 80% of the seats in the re-elected parliament.
The military-drafted constitution guarantees important cabinet posts for the military and grants it permanent political veto power. This parliamentary opening is therefore seen as merely an attempt to legitimize the long-standing military rule since independence.
.sourceAFP