Min Aung Hlaing takes oath as Myanmar president, with critics describing the move as a continuation of military rule under civilian guise.
Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, has been sworn in as president, formally extending his grip on power five years after seizing control in a military coup.
As commander of the armed forces, he overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, detaining the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and triggering a prolonged civil conflict.
At a parliamentary ceremony in the capital, Naypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing took the presidential oath, saying Myanmar had returned to the path of democracy and was heading toward a better future.
His new position follows an election held earlier this year, which excluded Suu Kyi’s party and was widely criticised by opposition groups and international observers.
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Before the swearing-in, authorities pardoned some political prisoners from Suu Kyi’s administration and invited government workers who had resigned in protest over the coup to return to their jobs.
However, critics say the measures are cosmetic, describing the transition as a rebranding of military rule under a civilian disguise.
More than 22,000 people are said to have been detained since the coup, while thousands have died in ongoing fighting between the military and rebel groups.
Min Aung Hlaing also pledged to restore normal relations with regional partners and promote reconciliation, as international observers continue to question the legitimacy of his rule.
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