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Myanmar Junta Solidifies Power with Parliament Appointment

  //politics-government.news-articles.net/content/ .. olidifies-power-with-parliament-appointment.html
  Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, February 25th 2026 at 6:51 GMT by reuters.com
      Locales: Naypyidaw Union Territory, MYANMAR

Yangon, Myanmar - February 25th, 2026 - Despite international condemnation and ongoing internal conflict, Myanmar's military junta is signaling its intent to maintain control through the appointment of a retired general to a powerful position within the newly formed parliament. Sources familiar with the situation confirmed the move on Wednesday, a clear indication that the military's grip on power remains firm following the 2021 coup.

The parliament, elected in a poll widely viewed as a sham by pro-democracy activists and governments in the West, is scheduled to convene shortly. While presented as a step towards establishing a civilian government, the composition and impending leadership strongly suggest the military will continue to be the dominant force in Myanmar's political landscape. This isn't simply a transition to civilian rule, but a transition under military control, utilizing a veneer of democratic process to legitimize continued authoritarian governance.

The retired general, whose identity remains undisclosed as of this reporting, is expected to chair a crucial parliamentary committee. These committees hold significant sway over the drafting and implementation of legislation and broader policy decisions. Effectively, this appointment places a key architect of the current regime directly in a position to shape the future of Myanmar, further entrenching military influence across all levels of government. The selection of a retired general is a subtle, yet strategic, maneuver. It allows the military to maintain influence without overtly displaying active-duty officers in positions of overt political power, attempting to project an image of lessened direct control.

Myanmar has been gripped by turmoil since the military seized power in February 2021, ousting the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup triggered widespread protests, which were met with brutal repression, and subsequently, the emergence of numerous armed resistance groups fighting against the junta in multiple regions. This ongoing civil conflict has created a humanitarian crisis, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and exacerbating existing economic hardships. The UN estimates over 3,000 civilians have been killed in clashes since the coup.

Western nations have responded to the coup and subsequent violence with a series of sanctions aimed at crippling the military's financial resources and limiting its access to international markets. However, these sanctions have had limited impact due to several factors, including continued support from nations like Russia and China. Furthermore, the complexity of Myanmar's economy and the prevalence of illicit trade have allowed the military to circumvent some of the restrictions.

The legitimacy of the new parliament and any government it produces is highly contested, both domestically and internationally. Pro-democracy groups have denounced the elections as fraudulent and called for a boycott, while many Western governments refuse to recognize the junta's authority. The parallel government formed by ousted lawmakers and pro-democracy activists, known as the National Unity Government (NUG), claims to be the legitimate representative of the Myanmar people and continues to call for international recognition and support. The NUG has also formed its own armed wing, the People's Defence Force (PDF), which is actively engaged in fighting against the military alongside other ethnic armed organizations.

The appointment of the retired general highlights the military's long-term strategy: to solidify its control through a combination of political maneuvering, repression, and the creation of institutions that serve its interests. The sham parliament is simply a tool to achieve this goal, providing a facade of legitimacy while allowing the military to continue ruling by decree. This situation presents a significant challenge to regional stability and international efforts to promote democracy and human rights in Southeast Asia. The international community faces a difficult dilemma: how to effectively pressure the junta to restore democracy without further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and fueling the ongoing conflict.

Further investigation reveals that the committee the general is expected to lead is the 'Committee for National Stability and Development,' a newly created body with broad powers over economic planning, security policy, and constitutional amendments - effectively giving it control over the very foundations of the state. Sources indicate the general is a veteran of the military's intelligence apparatus and played a key role in suppressing dissent in the years leading up to the 2021 coup.

Reuters was unable to independently verify all details regarding the general's identity or the specifics of his role, but multiple sources within Myanmar's political and diplomatic circles corroborate the core details of this report.