Union Solidarity and Development Party

Union Solidarity and Development Party
Chairman Shwe Mann
Vice-Chairman Htay Oo
Vice-Chairman Aye Myint
Founded 2 June 2010
Headquarters Dekkhinathiri Township, Naypyidaw
Colors Green
Seats in the Amyotha Hluttaw
124 / 224
Seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw
212 / 440
Party flag
Website
www.usdp.org.mm
Politics of Burma
Political parties
Elections

The Union Solidarity and Development Party (Burmese: ပြည်ထောင်စုကြံ့ခိုင်ရေးနှင့်ဖွံ့ဖြိုးရေးပါတီ), which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and its headquarters are in Naypyidaw's Dekkhinathiri Township.[1] According to the 2008 Constitution, government officials/civil servants, including government ministers like Thein Sein, are not allowed to form political parties, although the Electoral Commission has approved the party nonetheless.[2]

During the 2010 election, USDP recruited party members by offering low-interest loans, particularly in central Burma and Rakhine State.[3]

In the 2010 general election, the USDP won 883 seats out of 1154 total seats, 259 seats of 325 seats from Pyithu Hluttaw, 129 seats of 168 seats from Amyotha Hluttaw and 495 seats of 661 seats from Region and State Hluttaw (holding the majority in all, except the Rakhine State Hluttaw).[4]

On 4 March 2011, two USDP MPs from Bago Region, Ant Gyi, a Pyithu Hluttaw MP representing Thanatpin Township, and Cho Nwe Oo, representing Constituency 7 (Oktwin and Htantabin Townships) were disqualified by the Union Electoral Commission for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for citizenship (as both have a parent who are not Burmese citizens).[5]

All national cabinet members appointed from the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw are USDP politicians who resigned their parliamentary posts, with the exception of ministers appointed from military ranks and 3 civilian-led ministries.[6]

Leadership

On 2 May 2011, Thura Shwe Mann assumed the office as temporary chairman of USDP. Htay Oo as General Secretary, Aung Thaung and Thein Zaw as Secretary 1 and 2. Maung Oo was appointed as Disciplinary Official of the USDP. Former Yangon Mayor Aung Thein Lin was appointed to lead the USDP's Yangon branch.[7]

On 16 October 2012, Thein Sein was re-elected as the chairman of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) at the USDP's first party conference in Naypyidaw.[8] This is in direct contradiction to the 2008 Constitution of Burma, which states:[9]

“ If the President or the Vice-Presidents are members of a political party, they shall not take part in its party activities during their term of office from the day of their election. ”

As of October 2012, USDP's leadership was reorganized to form a 44-member Central Executive Committee, including:[8]

  • Chairman: Thein Sein
  • Vice-Chairman: Aye Myint
  • Vice-Chairman: Shwe Mann
  • Vice-Chairman: Htay Oo
  • General Secretary: Maung Maung Thein
  • Joint General Secretary: Thein Zaw
  • Secretary: Khin Aung Myint
  • Secretary: Thein Swe
  • Secretary: Aung Ko

Because of mounting criticism over his dual role, Thein Sein handed over the chairman position of party to Shwe Mann on May 1, 2013.[10][11][12]

Election results

House of Nationalities (AmyoThar Hluttaw)

Election Total seats won Total votes Share of votes Outcome of election Election leader
2010
129 / 224
 Increase129 seats; Governing party Thein Sein
(after) 2012
124 / 224
 Decrease5 seats; Governing party Thein Sein

House of Representatives (Pyithu Hluttaw)

Election Total seats won Total votes Share of votes Outcome of election Election leader
2010
259 / 440
 11,858,125 56.76% Increase259 seats; Governing party Thein Sein
(after) 2012
222 / 440
 Decrease37 seats; Governing party Thein Sein

By-election

Election Seats up for election Seats contested by party Contested seats won Contested seats lost Total votes Share of votes Outcome of election
2012 37 (Pyithu) / 5 (Amyotha) 37 (Pyithu) / 5 (Amyotha) 0 (Pyithu) / 0 (Amyotha) 37 (Pyithu) / 5 (Amyotha) 42 seats lost

References

  1. ↑ "Union Solidarity Development Association/ Party". Mizzima News. Archived from the original on 25 November 2010.
  2. ↑ "USDP Illegal under Constitution". The Irrawaddy. 17 May 2010.
  3. ↑ "Join the USDP Party, Get a Low-interest Loan". The Irrawaddy. 9 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Results - 2010 Election Watch". ALTSEAN Burma.
  5. ↑ Shwe Yinn Mar Oo; Soe Than Lynn (7 March 2011). "Two USDP MPs sacked from national parliaments". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  6. ↑ "By-Elections Special". Alternative Asean Network on Burma. 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Lower House speaker Thura Shwe Mann appointed USDP chairman". Mizzima News. 10 May 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wang Yuanyuan (16 October 2012). "President U Thein Sein re-elected as Myanmar's ruling party leader". Xinhua. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar" (PDF). Government of Myanmar. 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "Thein Sein resigns as chairman of Burma’s ruling party". DVB News. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  11. ↑ Win Ko Ko Latt (6 May 2013). "Speaker confirmed as new USDP chairman". The Myanmar Times. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  12. ↑ WENG, LAWI (3 May 2013). "Thein Sein Still a USDP Leader, May Be Party’s 2015 Presidential Pick: Lawmaker". The irrawaddy. Retrieved 25 June 2013.

External links