Burmese general election, 2015

Burmese (Myanmar) general election, 2015
Burma
October or November 2015
75% seats to the House of Representatives
and 75% seats to the House of Nationalities
 
Leader Shwe Mann Aung San Suu Kyi
Party USDP NLD
Leader since 1 May 2013 27 September 1988
Leader's seat Zeyathiri Kawhmu
Last election 259 (Reps) 78.48%
129 (Nats) 76.79%		 Did not stand
Current seats 212 (Reps)
124 (Nats)		 37 (Reps)
4 (Nats)
Incumbent President

Thein Sein
USDP
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Burma

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The Burmese general election of 2015 is scheduled to take place in last week of October or first week of November.[1][2] It will see voting take place in all the constituencies of Burma (Myanmar) excluding seats appointed by the Military, in order to appoint Members of Assembly to seats in the House of Nationalities, the upper house and House of Representatives, the lower house of the Assembly of the Union.


Preparation

The ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party have started rolling out strategies for their campaign. The USDP have confirmed it will contest its winning constituencies from 2010.[3] The opposition National League for Democracy party confirmed that it will contest even if a constitutional measure barring Aung San Suu Kyi from running for president is not amended.[4]

National Unity Party confirmed it was also reviewing its winning seats from 2010 and was considering other constituencies to challenge. The National Democratic Force said the party is prepared to challenge in up to 200 constituencies, but was yet to determine its candidates. Ethnic political groups will contest in each state based on ethnic party strongholds, although some have indicated they would consider forming an alliance as the Federal Union Party.

As of December 2013, 63 political parties are registered to take part in 2015.[3]

Cancellation of by-elections

On 7 September 2014, Union Election Commission cancelled the by-election because the period for campaigning would take place too close to that of the general elections in 2015 and because the results would not have any political significance.[5][6]

Possible candidates

President Thein Sein will probably step aside when his term ends following elections in 2015. Shwe Mann, the former No. 3 in the junta who is now speaker of House of Representatives, is the most likely figure to take the mantle from Thein Sein.[7] Aung San Suu Kyi has reiterated her desire to become Burma's next president but constitutional changes need to take place before she would be allowed to run.[8]

In November 2014, Shwe Mann commented, that these changes are unlikely to be implemented after a referendum in May and prior the elections in 2015. [9]

References

  1. ↑ "Myanmar General Elections Scheduled in Late 2015: Election Official".
  2. ↑ "General Election will be Nov- Dec 2015, says EC chairman". DVB News. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Political parties gear up for 2015 election". Mizzima.com. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Suu Kyi's party says it will contest 2015 Myanmar election even if constitution is not amended". Star Tribune. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  5. ↑ Aung Hla Tun (7 September 2014). "Myanmar cancels by-elections". The Reuters. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  6. ↑ "By-elections cancelled". DVB News. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  7. ↑ Krause, Flavia (3 May 2012). "Myanmar's Leader May Step Aside After 2015 Elections, Aide Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "Aung San Suu Kyi: 'I want to be Burma's president'". BBC. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Burma rules out lifting ban on Aung San Suu Kyi presidency before election". The Guardian. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2015.