Myanmar: Former speaker Win Myint elected president

Lawmakers choose former lower house speaker and Aung San Suu Kyi ally as president

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar (AA) – Former House Speaker Win Myint was elected Myanmar president on Wednesday following the resignation of Htin Kyaw.

Win Myint, 66, had stepped down the powerful speaker position at the Lower House to become vice president soon after Htin Kyaw -- the first civilian president in more than half a century -- resigned last week.

On Wednesday, lawmakers selected Win Myint, reportedly an ally of State Cousellor Aung San Suu Kyi, among three vice presidents. Formerly a lawyer, he joined the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) after being imprisoned for his role in mass demonstrations against the military in 1988.

He won a seat in a general election in 1990 in NLD landslide victory that was later nullified by the military.

Parliament last week also elected former militia leader and deputy speaker Tin Khun Myat, who, according to certain local media outlets, was considered a drug lord in the country’s restive Shan state, to replace Win Myint.

Kaynak:

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