Myanmar’s Shwe Mann Concedes Defeat In Elections

November 9, 2015 – Myanmar Speaker of Parliament Shwe Mann has conceded defeat, the first high-profile casualty of Myanmar’s landmark elections.

Mr Shwe Mann, of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), posted a statement on Facebook congratulating his rival from the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD).

He was running in Bago region’s Phyu township constituency.

Previously, his son had said in a Facebook post that his father had lost his bid for a seat.

Although ousted as leader of the USDP in August, Mr Shwe Mann, formerly a top-ranking member of the junta, had been seen as a presidential contender.

USDP joint chairman Htay Oo is also losing in his House of Representatives seat in Ayeyawaddy region’s Hinthada township constituency, sources report.

Reports also say key minister Aung Min, a chief peace negotiator, is also losing.

Incomplete vote counts showed some of the most powerful politicians of the ruling USDP trailing, indicating a heavy loss for the party created by the former junta and led by retired military officers.