13 Nov 2015

Plan to allow Suu Kyi to become president

5:27 pm on 13 November 2015

Myanmar's opposition party plans to amend the constitution and overturn a clause preventing its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from becoming president.

Aung San Suu Kyi, at NLD headquarters in Yangon, urged followers to be patient.

Aung San Suu Kyi, at NLD headquarters in Yangon, urged followers to be patient. Photo: AFP

Vote counting continues after Sunday's election with the National League for Democracy (NLD) approaching the number of seats needed to govern outright, ending 50 years of military domination.

The landslide election results from Myanmar's opposition are built on its beloved leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

But her path to power is blocked by the constitution, which bars anyone with foreign children - or husband - from the presidency.

Ms Suu Kyi two sons are British as was her late husband - who died in Britain while she was under house arrest in Myanmar.

However, NLD party co-founder Win Htein has said that if they win a majority government, there are plans to address the constitution.

"If we become the government it will be much easier for us to amend the constitution and eventually [Suu Kyi] will become the president sooner or later," he said.

But it will not be easy or fast as the military maintains a veto on constitutional amendments.

The army is also allocated 25 percent of parliamentary seats uncontested, as well as control of Myanmar's security apparatus - meaning it will retain immense power despite the huge support for the NLD.

In the meantime Ms Suu Kyi will nominate a president to act as her proxy.

- ABC

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