Min Aung Hlaing Appointed President Following Disputed Election
Min Aung Hlaing, the military general who seized control of Myanmar in a 2021 coup and triggered widespread conflict and economic turmoil, has been appointed president months after elections widely condemned as a sham.
On Friday, Myanmar’s parliament, dominated by the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), voted Min Aung Hlaing as president. The USDP secured a landslide victory in elections held from December to January in three phases.
Min Aung Hlaing is wanted by the International Criminal Court prosecutor for crimes against humanity related to the Rohingya Muslim minority. Analysts note that he had long sought the presidency but was previously blocked by the electoral success of the popular National League for Democracy (NLD).
However, the former de facto leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, aged 80, no longer poses a political threat. She has been detained since the coup ousted her government, and her party was banned from contesting the recent elections.
The election, which the USDP won overwhelmingly, was widely criticized as an attempt to legitimize military rule. Observers do not expect the leadership changes to resolve the ongoing political crisis or the deadly conflict that continues across Myanmar.
The International Crisis Group noted that Min Aung Hlaing, who was already acting president, is likely to appoint loyalists to key positions.
“He will not trust anybody [enough] to take orders from [them] – he would want to deliver the orders,” said Yanghee Lee, former special rapporteur for Myanmar, adding that Min Aung Hlaing is perceived as a paranoid and suspicious individual.
Background and Military Career
Born in Dawei in southeastern Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing studied law at Yangon University but was determined to join the military. After two unsuccessful attempts, he was admitted to the Defence Services Academy, the country’s premier military officer training institution.
Myanmar’s military operates as a state within a state, with its own banks, companies, media outlets, and hospitals. It views itself as the protector of Myanmar as a Buddhist Bamar nation, the majority ethnic group.
Min Aung Hlaing was appointed commander-in-chief in 2011 during Myanmar’s fragile transition to democracy. Despite reforms, the military retained significant power, including a quarter of parliamentary seats and key cabinet appointments under a model termed “disciplined democracy.”
This uneasy power-sharing collapsed after the 2020 election, which the NLD won decisively. Min Aung Hlaing accused the NLD of widespread voter fraud without evidence and led a coup that triggered widespread protests and a civil war.
Accusations of Human Rights Abuses
Min Aung Hlaing has been accused of overseeing repeated atrocities and human rights abuses. In 2009, while commanding operations in northeastern border areas, his troops were accused of forcibly displacing civilians. Similar brutality occurred on a larger scale during the 2017 violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state, which has been described as ethnic cleansing.
Since the coup, UN investigators have documented indiscriminate airstrikes killing civilians, mass killings of detainees, dismemberment and desecration of bodies, rape, and deliberate burning of entire villages. These acts have been described as manifestations of an organizational policy.
Myanmar’s government denies allegations of genocide, asserting that post-coup operations target terrorists accused of destabilizing the country.
International Relations and Personal Traits
In recent months, Min Aung Hlaing has increased international travel to improve his global standing. His diplomatic efforts have been mocked, notably a visit to Moscow where he praised Vladimir Putin and referenced a Buddhist prophecy about their friendship, calling Putin a “rat king” in a past life. It remains unclear if Putin understood the reference.
Richard Horsey, senior Myanmar adviser to the International Crisis Group, described Min Aung Hlaing as presenting himself more as a politician than a traditional military leader. Despite ongoing conflict, he is often seen inspecting infrastructure and factories rather than frontlines.
“It’s well known that he’s long coveted the presidency,” Horsey said.
Horsey also noted Min Aung Hlaing’s deep superstition and religious devotion. The general has commissioned and renovated numerous pagodas and religious sites, including a large Buddha statue in the capital Nay Pyi Taw.
“I don’t think he sees that as [being in] contradiction with his role as a brutal leader,” Horsey added.
Current Challenges and Prospects
Domestically, Min Aung Hlaing cannot travel freely to large parts of Myanmar controlled by opposition groups or affected by ongoing fighting. However, with support from China, his key ally, he likely hopes the recent election will help reverse his international isolation and reassure pro-military factions critical of his inability to suppress opposition since the coup.
