Suu Kyi’s party needs 38 more seats for majority

Myanmar democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi made it clear that she was ready to defy the powerful military’s attempts to clip her wings, as fresh results from Sunday’s historic election showed her party heading for a resounding win.

Sunday’s election has left the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in tatters, taking just a handful of seats so far, with several party heavyweights bundled out off their constituencies by voters.

A total of 333 representatives have been elected to parliament at three levels, according to the results announced by the UEC as of Tuesday night.

In a letter released by her party Wednesday, Suu Kyi affirmed the election victory, which has yet to be officially endorsed by the country’s election commission.

Taiwan on Wednesday congratulated Myanmar on the successful completion of its general elections on November 8, the first poll since a nominally civilian government was introduced in 2011, ending almost 50 years of military rule.

Earlier, Suu Kyi sent letters to President Thein Sein, Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing as well as influential parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann, calling for “national reconciliation” talks next week.

Despite the outcome of the election, the military is still guaranteed key ministerial positions, can take over the government in certain circumstances and has a grip on Myanmar’s economy through holding companies. This was corroborated by a senior NLD officer who told the Guardian the party won 82 percent of the contested seats based on unofficial counts.

Suu Kyi’s party said it received a message Wednesday from Information Minister Ye Htut on behalf of President Thein Sein congratulating it for leading the race for parliamentary seats. Although she leads the NLD she is barred by the constitution from being president.

The military, which took power in a 1962 coup, still has control of powerful ministries and a quarter of the seats in the 664-member two-chamber Parliament.

In a state of emergency, a military-led body can even assume state powers.

The military and the largest parties in the parliament will nominate candidates for president in February of next year.

But she has said that will not stop her “from making all the decisions”.

Suu Kyi’s party won a 1990 election by a landslide only for the army to ignore the result and tighten its grip on power. The two runner ups become vice presidents. The British Embassy yesterday issued a statement with Cameron’s response to the election, as results continued to indicate a massive victory by opposition leader Suu Kyi.