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Roundup: Myanmar's political events in 100 days after election

Xinhua, February 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

It has been 100 days after Myanmar's general election on Nov. 8, 2015.

The new term of parliament, produced through the 2015 election, began its first session on Feb. 1, choosing two new speakers and two deputy speakers of the two Houses - the House of Representatives (Lower House) and the House of Nationalities (Upper House) - in the Union Parliament.

The previous term of the parliament from January 2011 ended on Jan. 28 and the five-year term of the new parliament, dominated by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), started on Feb. 1.

The term of the government will also expire on March 30 and a new government will take office on the day in accordance with the results of the Nov. 8 election.

In the first session of the parliament, U Win Myint of the NLD was elected as speaker of the House of Representatives and U Ti Khun Myat of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) as deputy speaker, while U Mann Win Khaing Than of the National League for Democracy (NLD) as speaker of the House of Nationalities (Upper House) and U Aye Tha Aung of the Arakan National Party (ANP) as deputy speaker .

Three parliamentary groups will nominate one each of their respective candidates for the presidential vote on March 17. The one who gains the most votes will become the president, while the remaining two vice presidents, according to the constitution.

The presidential election will be followed by the formation of new government and power transfer to new head of state will be on March 31 when the current government term expires.

The two Houses have formed four related committees and commissions each.

The first parliament session was chaired by U Mann Win Khaing Than of the National League for Democracy (NLD) who is also speaker of the House of Nationalities (Upper House).

The Region or State parliament also elected their new speakers and deputy speakers.

As to the constitutional Section 59 (f) barring Suu Kyi from becoming the president, there is so far no response made by the winning NLD.

The section states that anyone with a foreign spouse or children is not eligible for presidency.

If suspension of article 59 (f) is proposed in the parliament to pave way for Suu Kyi's presidency, the military side vowed to deal with the issue in accordance with the 2008 constitution.

Myanmar's outgoing President U Thein Sein also pledged to safeguard the 2008 constitution in the parliament for drafting, amending and abolishing the laws, while deciding to re-lead the former ruling USDP party after the end of his presidency on March 30.

U Thein Sein was chairman of the USDP but his post was temporarily transferred to U Shwe Mann and then U Htay Oo during his president's tenure.

NLD'S MEETING WITH OUTGOING STATE LEADERS IN 100 DAYS

In December last year, Suu Kyi met and discussed peaceful, smooth power transfer with outgoing President U Thein Sein, Commander-in-Chief of Defense Service Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Speaker of the Union Parliament and House of Representatives U Shwe Mann.

In addition, she met with ex-Senior-General Than Shwe, the top leader of the previous military government, aimed at creating a favorable condition for the nation although the ex-senior-general holds no power now but is still regarded as influential.

2015 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS

In the Nov. 8 election, the NLD, led by San Suu Kyi, won an absolute majority of 255 or 79 percent in the House of Representatives, 135 or 80 percent in the House of Nationalities and 475 or 75.7 percent in the Region or State Parliament as well as 21 ethnic representatives to the Region or State Parliaments.

The USDP won 30 in the House of Representatives, 12 in the House of Nationalities, 74 in the Region or State Parliament as well as 2 ethnic representatives to the Region or State Parliaments.

The Arakan National Party, which is leading in the third position, won 45 parliamentary seats with 12 in the House of Representatives, 10 in the House of Nationalities, 22 in the Region or State Parliament as well as 1 ethnic representatives to the Region or State Parliaments.

LAWS PASSED BY PREVIOUS TERM OF UNION PARLIAMENT

The previous term of the Union Parliament approved a total of 229 laws, including 109 new laws, 103 amended laws and 17 withdrawn laws. Enditem