Myanmar by-elections 2012

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Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi

On April 1, 2012, 45 of the 664 seats in Myanmar's People 's Assembly were newly awarded in by-elections in Myanmar . Even if the outcome of the by-elections had no influence on the distribution of power in parliament, they were considered a significant step in President Thein Sein's reform course , as the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) took part in elections again for the first time since 1990 . The candidacy of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in particular attracted international attention.

Official election results should not be published until one week after the ballot, but the NLD announced immediately after the ballot that Suu Kyi had won her constituency with a clear majority. The newly elected MPs replace MPs who have moved to government since the parliamentary elections on November 7, 2010 .

Starting position

Myanmar, the former Burma, has been controlled by a military junta since 1962 . Unrest in August 1988 led to the overthrow of long-time ruler Ne Win , who was replaced by the military-controlled "State Council for the Restoration of Law and Order" . The Council of State held free parliamentary elections in 1990, but then did not recognize the election victory of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD). In the following years the opposition movement was suppressed and the junta was accused of numerous human rights violations .

After years of isolation, in 2003 the State Council decided on a seven-point plan for the gradual reintroduction of democracy. A new constitution was passed in May 2008, and on November 7, 2010 parliamentary elections were held in Myanmar for the first time since 1990. These elections were neither free nor fair, however, and some of the parliamentary seats were reserved for representatives of the military. Oppositionists such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who were previously under house arrest or imprisoned, were excluded from the elections, which is why the democratic opposition partially boycotted the parliamentary elections.

On February 4, 2011, the People's Assembly of Myanmar elected former General and Prime Minister Thein Sein as the new President. With him, for the first time since 1962, a civilian was in charge of the state. Under Thein Sein, the Myanmar government accelerated its reform course. Numerous political prisoners were released and the government sought dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Linked to the reforms within the country were efforts to normalize political and economic relations with other countries. The United States in particular supports Thein His reform course, as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar in December 2011.

By-elections

The political reforms in Myanmar resulted in the NLD, which was banned in 2010, being re-approved in November 2011. This allowed the leading opposition force to take part in by-elections, which were intended to fill 48 vacant seats in the three chambers of the People's Assembly. The previous elected officials had left parliament after taking over government posts; According to the constitution, members of the government cannot be members of parliament at the same time. April 1, 2012 was set as the election date. Aung San Suu Kyi has announced that it will run for these by-elections. The government then offered Suu Kyi a government office if he successfully entered parliament.

In contrast to the parliamentary elections of 2010, the Myanmar government allowed independent election observers from abroad for the by- elections . With this concession, the government responded to complaints from the opposition about obstacles to their election campaign . Representatives of the United States, the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN were invited as election observers.

A total of 168 candidates from 17 parties and eight non-party members applied for the 48 seats. However, one week before the planned election date, voting in Kachin State in northern Myanmar was canceled because the ongoing conflicts with rebels of the Karen National Union could not guarantee that the elections would be held properly. As a result, on April 1, 2012, a decision was only made on the allocation of 45 parliamentary seats.

Despite the election observers, irregularities were complained about in the run-up to the ballot. Electoral rolls are out of date, the work of the NLD has been systematically hindered by local authorities and election campaigners have been attacked. On election day, reports of ballot papers manipulated with wax increased . However, the ASEAN Secretary General said that the by-elections had largely gone well. The human rights commissioner of the German federal government , Markus Löning , who was sent as an election observer , also saw the elections as “very orderly” and there were no signs of central manipulation.

Election results

Official election results are not expected until a few days after the ballot, but the NLD published interim results the night after election day. A clear victory for the leading opposition party NLD is expected. In a poll that was approved for the first time in the last week before election day, 60% of those questioned said they would vote for the NLD. The pro-regime Union Solidarity and Development Party , which is the strongest party in all chambers of parliament, was supported by 32% of respondents.

According to the NLD, Aung San Suu Kyi won her constituency with 82% of the vote.

International reactions

The by-elections have a symbolic effect for the democratization process in Myanmar. With 45 of the 664 seats in the two chambers of the People's Assembly, only a small proportion will be filled, so the rulers, who so far control 80% of all seats, cannot lose their majority through these by-elections. However, the normalization of Myanmar's relations with the western industrialized nations is linked to the course and outcome of the by-elections, so the European Union promised to ease its economic sanctions after the elections.

Representatives of the US Campaign for Burma criticized the fact that the by-elections are being used by the government to have sanctions lifted as quickly as possible without actually strengthening democracy in Myanmar. Aung San Suu Kyi has entered into a "strategic symbiosis " with the rulers. Your election to the People's Assembly will contribute to national reconciliation , but according to the exiled Burmese Maung Zarni, it could also lead to international recognition of the regime.

Individual evidence

  1. Htet Aung: Burma's Rigged Road Map to Democracy . The Irrawaddy , Vol. 15, No. 8, August 2007.
  2. Ana Lehman: A dictatorship lets vote . Deutsche Welle , November 3, 2010.
  3. ^ With the ballot paper against the regime in Burma . Neue Zürcher Zeitung , November 7, 2010.
  4. Parliament elects new president . Frankfurter Rundschau , February 4, 2011.
  5. ^ Karl-Ludwig Gushi: Burma's junta courted opponent Suu Kyi . Spiegel Online , August 28, 2011.
  6. Karl-Ludwig G possibly: A bit of perestroika . Spiegel Online , October 3, 2011.
  7. Hillary Clinton Burma visit: Suu Kyi hopeful on reforms . BBC News , December 2, 2011.
  8. ^ Rainer Einzenberger: Reforms in Myanmar: Leading opposition party on the way to parliament . Heinrich Böll Foundation , November 24, 2011.
  9. Hla Hla Htay: Myanmar sets by-election date ( Memento from June 4, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) . AFP , December 30, 2011.
  10. Suu Kyi wants to run for by-elections . Spiegel Online , November 21, 2011.
  11. Burma's leadership promises Suu Kyi a post , January 8, 2012.
  12. ^ Georg Fahrion: Myanmar wants to let election observers into the country ( Memento from February 22, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) . Financial Times Deutschland , February 21, 2012.
  13. Burma invites US and EU observers to April by-elections . BBC News , March 21, 2012.
  14. Factbox: Myanmar's parliament and elections . Reuters , March 12, 2012.
  15. Burma postpones by-elections in troubled Kachin state . BBC News , March 23, 2012.
  16. ^ Serious Voter List Fraud Uncovered by Observer . The Irrawaddy , March 31, 2012.
  17. ^ 'Elections Neither Free Nor Fair,' Says Suu Kyi . The Irrawaddy , March 30, 2012.
  18. ^ Voters Complain of Wax on Ballot Papers . The Irrawaddy , April 1, 2012.
  19. Burma's freedom fighter on the way to parliament . Die Zeit , April 1, 2012.
  20. Udo Schmidt: A Step Towards Democracy ( Memento from April 3, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) . Tagesschau , April 1, 2012.
  21. 60 per cent say will vote for NLD: Mizzima poll ( Memento from April 1, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) . Mizzima, March 31, 2012.
  22. Freedom fighter Suu Kyi wins parliamentary seat in Burma . Der Standard , April 1, 2012.
  23. Opposition leader Suu Kyi wants to move into the parliament of Burma ( Memento from August 4, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) . Free press , April 1, 2012.
  24. Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi takes part in key by-elections . BBC News , April 1, 2012.
  25. Spheng Cheang: Myanmar will allow US, EU monitors for vote April . Associated Press , March 21, 2012.
  26. ^ Opposition leader Suu Kyi wants to move into the parliament of Burma . The West , April 1, 2012.