Myanmar elects Win Myint as new civilian president

Myanmar elected its new president on Wednesday. Aung San Suu Kyi's loyalist Win Myint was elected by the country's parliament. 

A fresh presidential election was necessitated after Myanmar's civilian president Htin Kyaw resigned due to ill health last week. Kyaw was expected to be replaced by Myint, a close ally of de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Win Myint has had a tight grip on the parliament and his critics accuse him of stifling democratic debate, including from within the caucus of Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party. 

The president is the head of state and government in Myanmar, and under the constitution has far-reaching powers. However, Htin Kyaw's role was more ceremonial because Suu Kyi has been Myanmar's de facto leader since April 2016.

(With inputs from Reuters)