Having lost the recently concluded parliamentary election by a landslide margin, the President of Myanmar has pledged that his party will hand over power to the National League for Democracy.
There was a measure of concern for Myanmar in the run up to the election, as the military annulled the election of Nobel Peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in 1990 and it remained unclear if the military backed ruling party would hand over party this time.
The NLD has won about 80% of the seats in the Parliament and are expected to form a new government if the military backed party hands over power. Although opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi cannot be President as a result of constitutional limits, she would undoubtedly call the shots if a new government is formed.
President Sein Thein pledged at a meeting of political leaders, “We will make sure it will be smooth and stable without having to worry about anything.”
It remains to be seen if he backs up his promise with action as the new Parliament is set to resume in January.