Myanmar parliament elects Htin Kyaw as first civilian president in 53 years
Myanmar parliament elects Htin Kyaw as first civilian president in 53 years
The Guardian, 15 Mar 2016
URL: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/15/myanmar-parliament-elects-htin-kyaw-as-first-civilian-president-in-53-years
Myanmar’s parliament has elected Htin Kyaw as the country’s first non-military president since the army took power in a 1962 coup.
A close adviser and loyal friend to Aung San Suu Kyi, the 69-year-old was nominated by the National League for Democracy party last week and voted into the presidency by parliament on Tuesday.
A final tally giving Htin Kyaw 360 out of 652 votes was met with applause. The two runners up, military nominee Myint Swe and ethnic minority Chin candidate Henry Van Thio, will become first and second vice-presidents respectively.
Htin Kyaw went to school in Yangon alongside Aung San Suu Kyi before winning a scholarship to study at university in the UK, and spent four months in jail in 2000 after trying to help the NLD leader travel outside Yangon.
Htin Kyaw is also a senior executive at a charitable foundation named after Aung San Suu Kyi’s mother. He is the son of Min Thu Wun, a respected author and poet.
Myint Swe received 213 votes and Henry Van Thio took 79 votes.
A close adviser and loyal friend to Aung San Suu Kyi, the 69-year-old was nominated by the National League for Democracy party last week and voted into the presidency by parliament on Tuesday.
A final tally giving Htin Kyaw 360 out of 652 votes was met with applause. The two runners up, military nominee Myint Swe and ethnic minority Chin candidate Henry Van Thio, will become first and second vice-presidents respectively.
Htin Kyaw went to school in Yangon alongside Aung San Suu Kyi before winning a scholarship to study at university in the UK, and spent four months in jail in 2000 after trying to help the NLD leader travel outside Yangon.
Htin Kyaw is also a senior executive at a charitable foundation named after Aung San Suu Kyi’s mother. He is the son of Min Thu Wun, a respected author and poet.
Myint Swe received 213 votes and Henry Van Thio took 79 votes.