Summary
General Min Aung Hlaing, who led a coup in Myanmar in 2021, is about to become the country's president. The new parliament, filled mostly with his supporters, will elect him. Despite stepping down from his military role, he retains significant power through loyal allies and a new consultative council.
Key Facts
- General Min Aung Hlaing led a coup on February 1, 2021, against Myanmar's elected government.
- He promised elections and a return to civilian rule within a year but is only now fulfilling this promise, five years later.
- The newly elected parliament will choose him as president, but it is largely filled with his loyalists.
- The military holds a quarter of the parliamentary seats, and its party won nearly 80% of the rest.
- General Min Aung Hlaing has stepped down as armed forces commander but remains powerful through allies.
- He established a consultative council to retain significant influence over Myanmar's military and civilian matters.
- The coup led to a civil war, killing thousands and displacing millions, while devastating Myanmar's economy.
- The military has used air power and other tactics, with support from China and Russia, to reclaim lost territories.
