One new political party granted for set-up in Myanmar

One new political party, the People 's Democracy Party (PDP), has been granted by the Myanmar Union Election Commission for establishment, official media reported Thursday.

The establishment of the 16-member political party, inclusive of Dr. Than Htaik Oo, in Myanmar's post election has brought the total number of political parties in the country to 38.

In the Nov. 7, 2010 multi-party general election held across Myanmar's seven regions and seven ethnic states, 37 political parties including 82 independents took part and 1,154 candidates out of over 3,000 representing political parties in the contest were elected as parliamentary representatives at three levels.

Besides the 1,154 elected parliamentary representatives, 388 or 25 percent were directly nominated by the military, bringing the total of the parliamentary representatives to 1,542.

The 659 union parliament representatives (house of representatives and house of nationalities) were made up of 493 elected ones and 166 or 25 percent directly nominated military ones.

Of the 493 elected parliamentary house of representatives and house of nationalities, 388 came mainly from the majority winning Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), led by then Prime Minister U Thein Sein, 17 from the National Unity Party (NUP), 21 from The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), 16 from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) and 12 from the National Democratic Force (NDF).

In the presidential election held at the first session of the union parliament on Feb. 4 as a follow-up of the general election, U Thein Sein won the presidency and U Tin Aung Myint Oo and Dr. Sai Mauk Kham as vice presidents. All of the three represent the USDP.

The new government, led by President U Thein Sein, assumed office on March 30, 2011.

Source:Xinhua

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