Major Victory for Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar

Election results in Myanmar show big victories for Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) party she leads.

Voter turnout reached 80 percent, according to the Guardian news site. The NLD received 90 percent of the entire vote, reported cnn. That amount of votes for one party is called a “landslide.”

Close to 7,000 people from 91 political parties ran for office in Sunday’s election.

Election results were slow to be announced. The first results reported that NLD won 12 seats. A second report said NLD had won 15 more spots. It was also reported that seven NLD winners were women.

Aung San Suu Kyi spoke with supporters at NLD headquarters.

“I think everyone already knows or has guessed what the election result is,” she said.

The parliament in Myanmar has 498 seats. The ruling party in Myanmar – also known as Burma - is the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). The military supports the USDP.  

The ruling military party holds 25 percent of the seats in parliament. The NLD needs 333 seats – or 67 percent - to overcome a military veto.

The election was the first in Myanmar since 2011. The legislature is called the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. It consists of an upper and lower house. One of its tasks is to select Myanmar’s president.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Jim Dresbach adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

What do you think about democracy in Myanmar, also called Burma? Please leave us your comment and post on our Facebook page.