Myanmar’s powerful military-linked government effectively conceded defeat in national elections and congratulated Aung San Suu Kyi as she and her party headed into a landslide victory that marks the beginning of a decisive transition toward democratic rule.
President Thein Sein on Wednesday sent a letter of congratulations to Ms. Suu Kyi’s party—tantamount to an admission of defeat, though neither he nor his ruling party have issued an official concession. A government spokesman said the president would call Ms. Suu Kyi to congratulate her on her election performance.
As of late Wednesday, the NLD had clinched 256 seats, including one for the opposition leader herself, in the 664-seat legislature with only 21 for the army-linked party and a handful for smaller ethnic-minority parties. A quarter of the seats are reserved for unelected military generals.
The military issued a statement Wednesday saying it would “like to congratulate and honor the National League for Democracy because it is leading in the election results.”
A full official tally could take days as results come in from remote areas. Polls were canceled in seven constituencies because of fighting involving rebel groups, and those seats will be left empty.
The military and president’s statements came three days after the vote, but thousands of people here were already been celebrating the opposition’s victory. Since Sunday, thousands have danced and cheered outside the National League for Democracy’s headquarters as results came in.
The focus here has fast shifted to how Ms. Suu Kyi can practically work with the armed forces, who remain entrenched in the political structure, with a strong role enshrined in the constitution.
Key military leaders said they would meet with Ms. Suu Kyi next week, sometime after the final vote is counted. The military establishment has repeatedly said it would respect the election results, a stark difference from the last time Ms. Suu Kyi’s party won elections, in 1990, but the army ignored the verdict.
This week, Ms. Suu Kyi expressed her intention to work for “national reconciliation” with Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who heads the armed services, and President Thein Sein and speaker of parliament Shwe Mann, both former senior generals.
The letters, dated Nov. 10, were posted Wednesday on her party’s official Facebook page.
The military establishment—which picks key ministers in charge of defense, home and border affairs, and determines its own budget and has other stipulated powers—will be Ms. Suu Kyi’s biggest challenge in commanding a future government.
Her past attempts to engage the military were repeatedly snubbed. Military lawmakers rejected her invitations to informal dinners and meetings and blocked proposed constitutional changes that would allow her to become president.
The constitution written by the former military rulers bans people with close foreign relatives from the top office. She was married to a Briton and has two British children.
Though she can’t serve as president, Ms. Suu Kyi has asserted herself as leader of what will be the biggest party in parliament and has said that she will call the shots. Ms. Suu Kyi will recommend a candidate amenable to her party, and will be “above the president.”
The military would have little choice but to engage with Ms. Suu Kyi, who will effectively control parliament and the cabinet.
“It is very different for the commander-in-chief to meet with an opposition leader than a leader-in-waiting,” said Richard Horsey, a Yangon-based political analyst.
“Discussions are going to have to happen, but whether that will be a good relationship or a cold, hard relationship remains to be seen.”
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