- Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has been formally elected as the country's president following a parliamentary vote.
- This move solidifies his hold on political power five years after he orchestrated a coup against Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in 2021, which plunged the nation into civil war.
- The election, which saw an army-backed party win a landslide, has been widely criticised by critics and Western governments as a sham designed to perpetuate military rule.
- Min Aung Hlaing comfortably secured the presidency in a parliament where the military and its allies hold nearly 90 per cent of the seats.
- His presidency comes amidst an ongoing civil war in Myanmar, which intensified in 2023 and has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced.
IN FULL