MYANMAR-ELECTION/RALLY Myanmar's ruling party holds rally in Yangon

Record ID: 135632

  • Title: MYANMAR-ELECTION/RALLY Myanmar's ruling party holds rally in Yangon
  • Date: 10th October 2015
  • Summary: YANGON, MYANMAR (OCTOBER 10, 2015) (REUTERS) UNION SOLIDARITY DEVELOPMENT PARTY (USDP) SUPPORTERS WALKING INTO THUWANNA PAGODA COMPOUND USDP SUPPORTERS HOLDING USDP FLAGS WALKING IN
  • Embargoed: 25th October 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Myanmar
  • Country: Myanmar
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA71GHKKG1WO9FSGHB4PQX7O7IX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Myanmar's ruling Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) held a rally in Yangon on Saturday (October 10), ahead of an election planned for next month.
    Hundreds of people, many wearing the USDP campaign T-shirts and waving USDP flags gathered at Thuwanna pagoda compound.
    One supporter said the USDP had brought about positive changes.
    "The USDP has brought positive change to the country. They can continue do more and more good things, if we vote for them. That's why I came here to show my support for the USDP, I deeply like this party," said 24 year-old Susan Win.
    Myanmar's historic election in November will see the military-backed ruling party compete against the National League for Democracy (NLD) party of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
    During Saturday's rally, one USDP candidate Mya Nyein, also a parliament member addressed the crowd.
    "The only chance for us to make things better for the people is only when we see many green colours (USDP) in the parliament. We always follow our party policy which is -- we follow people's demand. That's why I came here, urging for you to vote for us," said Mya Nyein.
    "If you are asking what have we done for the country? We have changed to a multi party system from a one party system. Our party first started this. We did change our political system which is really important for our country," he added.
    Myanmar opposition leader, Suu Kyi has said she plans to lead the next government if the NLD comes to power in the Nov. 8 election, despite being barred from becoming president.
    The NLD is expected to do well in the election, billed as the country's first free and fair contest in 25 years, but Myanmar's military-drafted constitution blocks Suu Kyi from becoming president because her late husband and two sons are not Myanmar citizens.
    Current President Thein Sein, 70, decided not to run for a parliamentary seat due to his ailing health, but he is eligible for a second term as president, which he says would depend on the "wishes of the people".
    Thein Sein may not have the charisma of the wildly popular opposition leader Suu Kyi, but his reforms and backing from a powerful military that gets a quarter of seats in the parliament means a second term is a possibility, via a post-election parliamentary vote.
    In Myanmar, the president is chosen from three candidates nominated by the two houses of parliament and the military, which holds a quarter of the seats in the bicameral chamber. The president then forms the government. There is no prime minister.
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