What Happens Next After Myanmar Junta Chief Is Sworn in as President?
NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar — Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president on Friday, stepping down as top general to rule from a civilian post five years after seizing power in a military coup. The 69-year-old read the presidential oath in a parliamentary ceremony in the capital, promising to serve a five-year term.
The transition comes after an election in January that excluded Aung San Suu Kyi’s party — which won over 90 percent of seats in 2020 — and handed a walkover victory to military-aligned candidates. More than two-thirds of the 30 ministers sworn in alongside him are retired or serving military members, many under international sanctions.
Democracy watchdogs call the move a rebranding of military rule in civilian disguise. Voting did not take place in large areas controlled by rebel groups, further undermining the mandate. Neighboring nations China, India, and Thailand attended the ceremony, with Beijing seen as the election’s biggest backer. Analysts say the junta aims to normalize its image and unfreeze foreign investment, including stalled Chinese infrastructure projects.
Min Aung Hlaing’s first acts as president? He will lead a government that faces an ongoing civil war, international pariah status, and deep skepticism from both domestic opposition and global rights monitors. The Thingyan new year holiday begins Monday, but for most Myanmar citizens, the change in title offers little hope of genuine reform.
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