General Min Aung Hlaing is the head of Myanmar's military junta, which seized power in a coup in 2021. Since the coup, nearly 10,000 civilians have been killed, the UN estimates 3m have been displaced and over 2m are on the brink of famine. The economy has shrunk by a fifth.
China pushed General Min Aung Hlaing to hold an election, which began on December 28th 2025 in three phases. Chinese diplomats, who are said to find him difficult to work with, hope that following the vote he will be elected president, shed his uniform and hand over command of the army. Foreign diplomats speculate he may give up one of his two titles—president or commander-in-chief—to mollify rivals within the ruling junta, some of whom regard him as dim and inept and blame him for military losses in 2024. Some analysts think this could result in a more consensual kind of leadership.
The newly elected parliament held its first meeting on March 16th 2026. Min Aung Hlaing is expected to stay in charge, probably as president—a post he covets because it would allow him to attend international summits. Yet he may worry that giving up his role as commander-in-chief could create an opening for a usurper. The new leadership will probably be formally appointed by early April 2026.
Thailand and India have backed the junta and encouraged other countries to normalise relations with it. Thaksin Shinawatra, a Thai tycoon and former prime minister, has led a drive to legitimise General Min Aung Hlaing, inviting him to summits at his hotel in Bangkok. ASEAN members helped persuade fellow members to ban Min Aung Hlaing from ASEAN summits.
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