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Suu Kyi unlikely to take formal role in Myanmar govt
Aung San Suu Kyi is unlikely to take a formal position in the new government but will instead remain in parliament and lead from there, a spokesperson for the National League for Democracy (NLD) party has said.
Aung San Suu Kyi is unlikely to take a formal position in the new government but will instead remain in parliament and lead from there, a spokesperson for the National League for Democracy (NLD) party has said.
Aung San Suu Kyi is head of the NLD and led them to a sweeping election victory in November but a junta-drafted constitution bars her from the presidency because her two children and late husband are British.
The democracy champion, who spent 15 years under house arrest and is the daughter of the nation’s revolutionary hero, has vowed to be “above the president”, fuelling speculation over her role in the country’s first democratically elected government in more than five decades.
Zaw Myint Maung, the NLD spokesman and one of its leaders, suggested that Aung San Suu Kyi would remain party head in parliament and not serve in the government, but still rule.
“Taking positions is not that important any more ... In the United States there are many famous lawmakers in the parliament who are very influential, but they don’t take any position in the cabinet,” he said.
“It’s the same here. She will lead the [ruling] party so, she will [by extension] lead the government formed by that party,” he added.
Htin Kyaw, a loyal friend to Aung San Suu Kyi and close advisor, was elected president last week. He is expected to act as a proxy to Aung San Suu Kyi, who has not commented in detail on how she plans to run the country.
