Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing sworn in

April 11, 2026

Summary

Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president amid ongoing conflict, criticism of the vote, and regional isolation.

Why this matters

The inauguration formalized Min Aung Hlaing’s hold on power after the 2021 coup, as fighting and displacement continued across Myanmar. It also signaled an effort to improve ties with regional neighbors and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Myanmar military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president on Friday, five years after ousting an elected government in a coup that was followed by civil war.

In an inauguration address in Naypyidaw, he said “Myanmar has returned to the path of democracy and is heading towards a better future,” while acknowledging the country still had many “challenges to overcome.”

Min Aung Hlaing, 69, was elected to the presidency last week by a pro-military parliament. He was one of three nominees; the two other candidates became vice presidents.

He seized power in 2021 from Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who was placed under arrest. The coup led to protests and a civil disobedience movement, and anti-coup armed groups later formed. The military responded with force, and Myanmar was subsequently suspended from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In his address, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar would “enhance ‌international relations and strive to restore normal relations” with ASEAN.

Representatives from China, India, Thailand, and 20 other countries attended Friday’s inauguration.

Democracy watchdogs criticized Min Aung Hlaing’s election. His pledge to “grant appropriate amnesties to support social reconciliation, justice and peace,” including pardons for political prisoners and invitations for civil servants who quit in protest to return to work, was also dismissed by critics.

His move from military chief to civilian president followed parliamentary elections in December and January that were won by an army-backed party. Critics and Western governments described the vote as a sham.

The Union Solidarity and Development Party won more than 80% of contested seats. Serving members of the armed forces also hold unelected seats that make up a quarter of parliament.

Rights monitors said voting did not take place in parts of the country held by rebel groups fighting the military and rejecting the election.

Fighting has continued across Myanmar, with anti-military groups, including remnants of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party and ethnic minority armies, forming a new combined front against the military.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project estimated that more than 96,000 people had been killed. The United Nations said at least 3.6 million people had been displaced since the 2021 coup.

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