Suu Kyi's National League wins majority in Myanmar

13 November 2015 06:35 am

The National League for Democracy has won a majority in Myanmar's historic general election ending decades of military-backed rule, the BBC said.

With more than 80% of seats declared, Aung San Suu Kyi's party has more than the two-thirds it needs to control parliament and choose the president. But a quarter of seats are allocated to the military, which means it will remain hugely influential.

Myanmar's constitution means Ms. Suu Kyi cannot now become president. It specifically bars anyone whose children were born foreign nationals from holding the job. Both her sons were born British. But Ms. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who spent decades under military-imposed house arrest, has insisted she would lead the country anyway if her party won.

Sunday's election was the first openly contested poll in Myanmar in 25 years. It was widely seen as a fair vote though there were reports of irregularities, and hundreds of thousands of people - including the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not recognised as citizens - were denied voting rights.

About 30 million people were eligible to vote and turnout was estimated at about 80%. The ruling military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) - which won the last, widely criticised election five years ago - has so far gained about 5% of seats contested.