IPU Logo    INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION
>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE  
   HOME -> PARLINE -> MYANMAR (Pyithu Hluttaw)
Print this pagePrint this page
PARLINE database new searchNew search
MYANMAR
Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives)
LAST ELECTIONS

Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module

A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page

Parliament name (generic / translated) Pyidaungsu Hluttaw / Assembly of the Union
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Pyithu Hluttaw / House of Representatives
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Amyotha Hluttaw / House of Nationalities
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 8 November 2015
Purpose of elections The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, took an outright majority in both chambers of the parliament. The NLD took 255 of the 330 seats at stake in the 440-member House of Representatives and 135 of the 168 seats at stake in the 224-member House of Nationalities (a quarter of seats in both chambers are reserved for military personnel).

The ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) dropped from 259 to 30 seats in the House of Representatives and from 129 to 12 in the House of Nationalities. Only two other parties won more than ten seats: the Arakan National Party (ANP, representing the interests of the Rakhine people) and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD, representing the Shan minority). The USDP conceded defeat.

On 1 February 2016, the newly elected parliament was sworn in. On 15 March, it elected Mr. Htin Kyaw (NLD) as the country's new President.

During the election campaign, NLD promised constitutional and political reform to promote the rule of law and human rights, while the USDP ran on the government's record, stating that it had achieved a democratic path that gained international acceptance.

Following the elections, on 19 November, Ms. Suu Kyi and Mr. Shwe Mann held talks and agreed on "systematic and peaceful implementation of the people's desire" to prioritize "national reconciliation and national (ethnic) unity in forming the houses of parliament". On 2 December, Ms. Suu Kyi met President Thein Sein and Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing, who pledged to assist the smooth transfer of power.

These were the first general elections in which the NLD had taken part since 1990. In 1990, the NLD won 392 seats in the 492-member People's Assembly, but the newly-elected legislature was never convened and the election was eventually invalidated. The NLD boycotted the previous elections in 2010, condemning the electoral laws as "unjust". In April 2012, the NLD won all 37 seats at stake in by-elections to the House of Representatives and six in the House of Nationalities. As a result, Ms. Suu Kyi was sworn in to parliament the following month.
Date of previous elections: 7 November 2010

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 31 January 2016

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Expected date of next elections: November 2020

Number of seats at stake: 330 (full renewal)*
*Seven seats were not contested in the election due to ongoing challenges with ethnic unrest.
In addition, 110 seats are reserved for members who are Defence Services personnel, nominated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services.

Number of candidates: 1,733 (1,502 men, 231 women)

Percentage of women candidates: 13.3%

Number of parties contesting the election: 91

Number of parties winning seats: 11

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 1 February 2016

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Win Myint (National League for Democracy, NLD)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 18 November 2015
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
34'295'334
23'911'784 (69.72%)

Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political Group Candidates Votes %
National League for Democracy (NLD)
Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD)
Arakan National Party (ANP)
Pa-O National Organisation (Pa O NO)
Ta'ang National Party (Ta'ang NP)
Lisu National Development Party (Lisu NDP)
Zomi Congress for Democracy (Zomi CD)
Kokang Democracy and Unity Party (Kokang DUP)
Independents
Kachin State Democracy Party (Kachin SDP)
Wa Democratic Party (Wa DP)
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total
National League for Democracy (NLD) 255
Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) 30
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) 12
Arakan National Party (ANP) 12
Pa-O National Organisation (Pa O NO) 3
Ta'ang National Party (Ta'ang NP) 3
Lisu National Development Party (Lisu NDP) 2
Zomi Congress for Democracy (Zomi CD) 2
Kokang Democracy and Unity Party (Kokang DUP) 1
Independents 1
Kachin State Democracy Party (Kachin SDP) 1
Wa Democratic Party (Wa DP) 1
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men
Women
Percent of women
390
43
9.71%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
Assembly of the Union (04.12.2015, 06.12.2015, 01.01.2017)
Union Election Commission (09.02.2016)
http://www.idea.int/asia_pacific/myanmar/facts-about-women-ethnic-candidates-in-myanmar-elections.cfm
http://www.bbc.com
http://www.mmtimes.com
Kyodo News Service

Copyright 1996-2016 Inter-Parliamentary Union