Htin Kyaw, a trusted aide and confidant to democracy leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is poised to become Myanmar’s President when parliament votes for its next leader today. Htin Kyaw has been nominated by the lower house of parliament as the opposition party National League for Democracy takes power.
Under Myanmar’s complicated electoral system, the President is elected by lawmakers of both houses of parliament. They chose from three candidates, one representing the lower house, one the upper house and one representing the military bloc, which has 25 percent of seats reserved for them. The candidate with the highest number of votes becomes President, taking office from April 1st, and the other two become Vice Presidents.