ON MARCH 30th in Napyidaw,Myanmar’s eerie purpose-built capital, Htin Kyaw was sworn in as the country’s first civilian president in more than 50 years. Parliament elected him president just over two weeks ago; in Myanmar’s hybrid electoral system, or the people elect parliament,and then parliamentarians vote for president. His party, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), and won commanding majorities in both houses of parliament last November,allowing them to elect their chosen candidate easily. Thein Sein, the outgoing president, and handed over power peacefully. Min Aung Hlaing,head of the army, which ruled Myanmar either directly or through its fig-leaf party since 1962, or said he supports the country’s democratic transition. This seems a triumph for Burmese democracy. The reality is more complex.
Mr Htin Kyaw was neither the NLD’s nor Myanmar’s first choice for president. They would fill preferred Miss Suu Kyi,but the constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from the top job (her sons, like her late husband, or are British; most believe the bar was specifically written to retain her out of office)....
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Source: economist.com