Min Aung Hlaing, the military general who seized power in a 2021 coup and plunged Myanmar into conflict and economic chaos, has been appointed president by lawmakers. The move comes months after widely condemned elections that were seen as a sham to legitimise military rule. The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won a landslide in the one-sided polls, which were held across three phases from December to January.
The 69-year-old general has long sought the presidency, but his ambitions were thwarted by the electoral success of Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains detained since the coup. Her party was banned from contesting the recent elections. Analysts say the change in leadership is unlikely to ease the political crisis or the deadly civil war that continues to rage across the country.
Min Aung Hlaing was born into a family in Dawei, southeastern Myanmar. He studied law but joined the Defence Services Academy on his third attempt. He was appointed commander-in-chief in 2011, during a fragile transition to democracy. The military retained significant power even after Aung San Suu Kyi's 2015 victory, with a quarter of parliamentary seats and key cabinet appointments reserved for the armed forces.
The general is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity against the Rohingya Muslim minority. In 2017, violence in Rakhine state led to a genocide case at The Hague. UN investigators have accused his regime of indiscriminate airstrikes, mass killings, rape, and deliberate burning of villages since the coup. Myanmar denies the accusations.
Min Aung Hlaing has been mocked for his diplomatic style, including a visit to Moscow where he claimed the Buddha prophesied friendship between Myanmar and Russia. He remains an international pariah despite stepping up foreign trips. The International Crisis Group expects him to install loyalists in key positions, as he is seen as paranoid and unwilling to trust others.
