Myanmar coup leader Min Aung Hlaing set to become president
General Min Aung Hlaing, who led Myanmar's military coup in 2021, is set to be chosen as the country's next president by the newly-elected parliament. He overthrew the civilian government and jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
General Min Aung Hlaing is about to complete his transformation from military commander to Myanmar's official president. The newly-elected parliament is expected to choose him for the role.
Min Aung Hlaing led the military coup that overthrew Myanmar's civilian government in February 2021. He jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who had been the country's civilian leader.
Before the coup, he spent a decade fighting with civilian leaders for power. His takeover triggered a vicious civil war that continues today, with thousands of people killed and millions displaced from their homes.
The general's rise to president would cement the military's complete control over Myanmar. It signals that international pressure and sanctions have failed to restore the democracy that existed before 2021.
This makes official what many already knew - Myanmar's military is fully in control after years of brutal civil war. It shows the international community has failed to restore democracy in a country of 54 million people.
Parliament is expected to formally choose Min Aung Hlaing as president in the coming days.
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