A parliamentary committee has voted against changing a clause in Myanmar’s constitution that bars opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from running for president. The clause bars anyone whose spouse or children are loyal to foreign countries from becoming president or vice president. Suu Kyi’s late husband and her two sons are British citizens.
Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party is expected to mount a strong challenge in next year’s general election, with a good possibility of winning, but without Suu Kyi as a prospective president, its backers may flag in their support.
Twenty-six of the 31 members of the committee tasked with recommending changes voted against amending the clause. The decision by the committee last week was not publicised, but a member who did not want to be identified because he is not supposed to speak to the media confirmed the result of the vote to the AP news agency.
The decision still needs to be endorsed by the full parliament, but a change appears highly unlikely.
