Myanmar: NLD secures seats to form government

Hanoi (VNA) – Myanmar’s Union Election Commission (UEC) on November 13 announced the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) of Aung San Suu Kyi has secured the majority needed to form a government.

The announcement also means that the party can now nominate two candidates for vice presidents.

The NLD won 759 seats at three levels in the country’s parliament. Of these, 238 are in the House of Representatives (Lower House), 110 in the House of Nationalities (Upper House) and 401 in the regional or state parliament.

Meanwhile, the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) claimed 98 seats at three levels in Myanmar’s parliament, comprising 28 in the Lower House, 12 in Upper House and 55 in the regional or state parliament. Other seats belonged to other ethnic group parties and individual candidates.

The NLD’s President Aung San Suu Kyi, under a clause in Myanmar’s constitution, is barred from becoming president because her sons and late husband are citizens of a foreign country.

The NLD has not unveiled its candidate for president.

Leaders of the provisional government, army and ruling party have pledged to respect the outcomes of the country’s general election, ensuring a smooth transition.

Myanmar launched the historic general election on November 8 with 6,038 candidates representing 91 registered political parties and independent candidates running for more than 1,000 seats in parliament and other elected bodies.

To dates, the UEC has announced 901 parliamentarians-elect, including 274 to the Lower House, 133 to the Upper House and 494 to state or regional parliament.-VNA