Daily US Times: Myanmar’s latest election result shows that the country’s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party has secured majority in election, what needed to form the next government.
The NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, has so far secured 346 seats, more than the 322 seats needed to form the government.
It comes days after the party claimed victory based on early results, but the military-backed opposition has demanded a re-run of the election.
Ahead of today’s announcement as NLD wins majority in election, a handful of leaders, including those in Japan and India, had congratulated the NLD on their win.
The election has been seen as a gauge of support for Ms Suu Kyi and the NLD following the Rohingya crisis.
The political party remains popular at home but has been heavily criticised worldwide after Ms Suu Kyi’s response to the crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya fled an army crackdown in 2017 – described by the UN as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar’s army said it was targeting militants, a response which Ms Suu Kyi has defended.
The disenfranchisement of the Rohingya had led observers to question the credibility of the election.
Election officials in the country have yet to issue an official result as votes are still being counted, with 64 out of 416 seats still undeclared.
The NLD claimed victory soon after Sunday’s vote, saying it was expecting to win more than enough seats to form a government.
But the opposition, backed by the country’s powerful army, accused the government of irregularities, though it provided little evidence.
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