Suu Kyi set to sweep polls

According to the first series of the result, candidates from the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) have won 12 seats at the House of Representatives (Lower House) so far from their respective constituencies in Yangon region.

“This is no longer just in our dreams”, one man shouted.

The former head of the Union Solidarity and Development Party earlier conceded defeat in his constituency, becoming the first prominent casualty to the NLD. He himself had failed to win his seat, he said. In addition, the commission announced that the NLD had won 11 of 15 seats in four other regional parliaments.

Although it appears likely the NLD will win at least 67 percent of seats, party officials have indicated they intend to bring other parties into a ruling alliance.

It is also disconcerting because in 1990 elections, which the NLD won overwhelmingly, the junta refused to recognise the results.

Music played as they waved flags bearing the NLD’s golden peacock emblem; many wore T-shirts emblazoned with pictures of Suu Kyi.

Another spokesman, Nyan Win, put the number at 90%, adding: ” We will win a landslide”.

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the vote was a “historic milestone on the country’s road to democracy” and said it was contested in an “overall calm, peaceful and organised way”. “We want to celebrate”.

It warned of “volatile and risky conditions” that could lead to violence that would serve the interests of the military.

“Another one of those rules is that right now, 25 per cent of the parliamentary seats are guaranteed to the military”.

Money from overseas flowed in quickly as sanctions were eased.

In a statement, it said the “poisoned atmosphere against Muslims in general (and) the Rohingya in particular will not be cleared with an election”.

Amid high tensions across the country of 52 million people NLD officials are urging Ms Suu Kyi’s millions of supporters not to provoke their rivals ahead of the release of final vote tallies.

Suu Kyi has said she would be the power behind the new president regardless of a charter she derided as “very silly”.

Landslide was the term used to describe the outcome the last time Myanmar had a free election, a quarter of a century ago, when Suu Kyi led democratic forces to a victory over the military’s proxies.

“I want Mother Suu to win in this election”, said street vendor Ma Khine, using a widely used affectionate term for the 70-year-old party leader.

“There are more people this time compared to 2010”, she told CNN. “You see the voting is free and fair”. The nation breathed a collective sigh of relief as polling closed on Sunday, with no major incidents of violence or voter irregularity reported.

Kyi Win, a retired army officer who sits at the heart of party operations in the capital, said the NLD was poised to win a coveted majority in parliament.

Crowds sang songs dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi, as hundreds waited outside her opposition party headquarters for confirmation of her historic election victory. If Suu Kyi steps too far out of line, the military can either use their economic power to discredit her and her opposition party, or simply conduct another coup d’etat and assume power directly. Also, the military will be able to block constitutional amendments.

The United States congratulated Myanmar on the election, with White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest calling the process a “meaningful, competitive election” and an “important step in Burma’s democratic reform process”.