YANGON, Myanmar (AP): Myanmar's ruling National League for Democracy party claimed Monday that it has won enough seats in Parliament to constitute an absolute majority and retain power. It made the claim even though the state Union Election Commission has not yet completed releasing results from Sunday's election.
"I can now confirm that we're now securing more than 322 seats," said Monywa Aung Shin, a spokesperson for the NLD information committee. There are 642 seats in Parliament.
"We were aiming to secure 377 seats in total. But it would be likely more than that," said Monywa Aung Shin.
There were no reliable official figures available on voter turnout, and the Union Election Commission had earlier said that it might take as long as a week to release full results.
A victory by the NLD had been widely expected, though it had been speculated that its deterioration of relations with ethnic minority-based parties, with whom it had cooperated in the last election in 2015, might cut its totals.
Much of the NLD's appeal is based on the popularity of its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who became the head of government with the title of State Counsellor after the 2015 polls.
Her administration's record has been mixed at best, with economic growth falling short of expectations and no end to the decades-old armed strife with ethnic minorities seeking greater autonomy.
Suu Kyi's party claims to have won majority in Myanmar polls
FE Team | Published: November 09, 2020 23:42:51
Suu Kyi's party claims to have won majority in Myanmar polls
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