EXPERTS ADVISORY

The party led by Nobel-winner Aung San Suu Kyi has finally named its presidential nominee—U Htin Kyaw, a long-time loyalist of the National League for Democracy. Next week, Myanmar’s parliament will vote on the nomination, and the new president is expected to be sworn in April 1.

Experts at the University of Michigan can discuss the nomination and its implications:

John Ciorciari is an assistant professor at the Ford School of Public Policy. His research focuses on Southeast Asia and examines foreign policy strategies, human rights and the reform of international economic institutions.

“Htin Kyaw’s nomination followed a series of meetings in which Aung San Suu Kyi pushed the generals unsuccessfully to change or suspend the constitutional provision that bars her from the post,” he said. “She and most of her supporters are quite rightly indignant about the nakedly political nature of the prohibition against her.

“Yet by insisting that she will pull the strings and continue pursuing the office, she virtually ensures that Htin Kyaw will be perceived as a pass-through president. This makes him an easier target for military leaders keen to reassert control, much as the Thai yellow shirts tarred Thaksin Shinawatra’s successors as puppets for the exiled billionaire. The NLD’s strength lies in its popular support, and that will be its main bulwark against the generals’ likely efforts to discredit Htin Kyaw as a figurehead.”

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Dominic Nardi, a doctoral candidate in political science, studies judicial politics in developing countries, particularly Myanmar, the Philippines and Indonesia.

“The NLD was desperately looking for a way around Section 59(f) of the Constitution, which bars from the presidency anyone with a spouse or children who are citizens of a foreign country,” he said. “Aung San Suu Kyi’s children hold British passports.”

“There was even some talk about unilaterally suspending that portion of the constitution, which would have undermined its claims to follow the rule of law. In the end, despite the desire of her and her party to see her in the presidency, she will probably take another role in government, such as Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

Contact: 959-200-6059, [email protected]

Linda Lim, professor of strategy at the Ross School of Business, is an expert on political economy of local and multinational business in Southeast Asia.

“The nomination of Htin Kyaw is no surprise, as the nominee was bound to be someone loyal to Aung San Suu Kyi and also acceptable to the army, which he is,” she said. “Since this is a first-ever transition, and neither side has much experience with democracy, delay is only to be expected.”

Contact: 734-763-0290, [email protected]