Junta chief appoints himself Myanmar’s acting president ahead of planned elections

Myanmar’s military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has appointed himself as the country’s acting president through a newly formed military commission, just months ahead of planned elections in December, according to state-run media.

The announcement marks a significant restructuring of the regime’s leadership, though it consolidates rather than reduces Min Aung Hlaing’s grip on power.

Since the February 2021 coup that overthrew the elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, Min Aung Hlaing has claimed legitimacy to rule through the 11-member National Defence and Security Council (NDSC)—a constitutional body that grants sweeping powers to the military’s top brass.

The State Administration Council (SAC), the governing body led by Min Aung Hlaing since the coup, has now been formally dissolved. In its place, the junta has established the State Security and Peace Commission, a new body in which Min Aung. . .