Myanmar Parliament Convenes First Session Since 2021 Coup

ISTANBUL, March 16 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Myanmar’s new parliament on Monday held its first sitting after the three-phase elections between December and January, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. 

The sitting was held in the capital Naypyitaw, according to the Irrawaddy news website.

The elections were the first since the Tatmadaw seized power in a coup in February 2021.

Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won a majority of seats in the country’s Union Parliament.

An ally of military ruler Min Aung Hlaing and the USDP chairman, Khin Yi, was on Monday elected speaker of the lower house, locally known as Pyithu Hluttaw.

Maung Maung Ohn was elected deputy speaker, and both are former military generals, the outlet reported.

Khin Yi served as police chief during the crackdown on the 2007 Saffron Revolution.

Based on the latest results released by the Union Election Commission, the USDP won 231 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw and 108 seats in the Amyotha Hluttaw, the upper house, giving it a total of 339 seats.

A total of 420 elective seats were contested nationwide in the general election.

Myanmar has a bicameral legislature with 664 seats, including 440 in the lower house and 224 in the upper house.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU