Myanmar junta hints at leadership reshuffle as Min Aung Hlaing eyes presidency
Naypyidaw— Myanmar’s military signaled impending leadership changes ahead of its annual Armed Forces Day parade on Friday, a move that could pave the way for junta chief Min Aung Hlaing to assume the presidency as the country prepares for a political transition following elections dominated by pro-military parties.
Thousands of troops are set to march in the capital Naypyidaw, where Min Aung Hlaing is expected to deliver a speech aimed at reinforcing morale within the armed forces, which have been engaged in a protracted civil conflict since the 2021 coup.
State media reported that “leadership changes” would follow the ceremony, quoting deputy commander-in-chief Soe Win as saying adjustments were imminent within the military hierarchy.
Under Myanmar’s constitution, Min Aung Hlaing would need to relinquish his military role to formally become president. He currently serves as acting president, and a permanent transition would coincide with a parliamentary process expected to begin next week.
Min Aung Hlaing has ruled since overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, detaining the Nobel laureate, dissolving her party, and triggering a nationwide conflict involving pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed groups.
Recent elections, which handed pro-military parties a decisive victory, have been criticized by democracy monitors as tightly controlled and excluding opposition participation.
Despite ongoing violence, the military has regained some ground over the past year, aided in part by China-brokered ceasefires with key ethnic armed groups. Agreements involving regions such as Lashio and parts of Mandalay have helped the junta stabilize certain fronts after earlier setbacks.
However, fighting remains widespread in many areas, with analysts noting the conflict is highly fragmented. According to monitoring group ACLED, more than 90,000 people have been killed since the coup, while the United Nations estimates over 3.7 million have been displaced and roughly half the population lives in poverty.
The Armed Forces Day ceremony, once a large-scale display of strength, has diminished in scale in recent years as the military contends with battlefield losses and internal strain.
