(Bangkok, 26th) His name does not appear on the ballot, nor does his photo appear on campaign posters, yet he influences Myanmar’s election and the political direction of the country for years to come. This controversial figure is none other than Min Aung Hlaing, the supreme leader of Myanmar’s military government.
Myanmar’s elections, which began last December, are being held in three stages. After the first round of voting, 69-year-old Min Aung Hlaing said in his 2026 New Year address that he planned to hand over the nation's responsibilities to the next government. However, it is tacitly understood by all parties that the influence of this military strongman will persist.
Since seizing power in the 2021 coup, Min Aung Hlaing has maintained only limited diplomatic contacts with neighboring countries and rarely gives interviews to independent media, making him little known to the outside world.
Reuters, citing insiders and analysts, reports that Min Aung Hlaing is a tough military commander, but also a skilled politician adept at maneuvering among the national elite. These traits have allowed him to maintain his hold on power—even after repeated military defeats against ethnic armed groups and the subsequent damage to the army’s prestige.
Nyan Min Khant, project assistant at the Myanmar Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in Thailand, said that Min Aung Hlaing’s move to share power through elections, giving up absolute rule, is actually “an elite management strategy that disperses responsibility and preserves the cohesion of the regime.”
A former foreign official who has met Min Aung Hlaing said: "Min Aung Hlaing could become a leader not just because of his ruthless means, but because of his ability to deftly defuse the pressures around him. Anyone else in his position might face even greater pressure."
Min Aung Hlaing has arranged for some generals to hold well-paid posts in military-linked enterprises, detained some senior officers, and even sent a potential successor to a military court. These moves help him control potential rivals.
While showing no mercy to potential threats, Min Aung Hlaing also knows how to reward loyal followers—reserving key posts for them, such as retired officer and former UN ambassador Than Swe. After the coup, Than Swe was appointed foreign minister of the military government.
According to someone familiar with Min Aung Hlaing, even before launching the coup, as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing showed strong interest in politics.
After the military handed over power to ex-soldier Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government in 2010, Min Aung Hlaing continued meeting with community and religious leaders. An insider said, "If he were just a career soldier, there would be no need for such actions."
Min Aung Hlaing was born in Dawei, southern Myanmar, the fourth of five siblings. He once studied law at university in the then-capital Yangon, and graduated from the Defense Services Academy in 1977 before joining the army.
Most soldiers consider themselves guardians of national unity, and it was precisely this mindset that prompted Min Aung Hlaing to launch the coup in 2021. An official familiar with Min Aung Hlaing said, "He thought it was justified, because then State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi simply ignored his opinions and concerns."
When Min Aung Hlaing announced the election timetable last year, he declared he intended to return power to the people through elections. However, the opposition, some Western countries, and human rights organizations all called the election a sham to consolidate military rule.
In December last year, when asked in Nay Pyi Taw whether he planned to become president after the election, Min Aung Hlaing said: "I can't simply say what I want to do or not do. After all, I am not the leader of any political party."
An official familiar with Min Aung Hlaing revealed that he recently hinted he was considering appointing someone else as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, while he himself might retire from the military and enter politics. However, Min Aung Hlaing did not specify what role he would take.
Since seizing power in the 2021 coup, Min Aung Hlaing has maintained only limited diplomatic contacts with neighboring countries and rarely gives interviews to independent media, making him little known to the outside world.
Reuters, citing insiders and analysts, reports that Min Aung Hlaing is a tough military commander, but also a skilled politician adept at maneuvering among the national elite. These traits have allowed him to maintain his hold on power—even after repeated military defeats against ethnic armed groups and the subsequent damage to the army’s prestige.
Nyan Min Khant, project assistant at the Myanmar Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in Thailand, said that Min Aung Hlaing’s move to share power through elections, giving up absolute rule, is actually “an elite management strategy that disperses responsibility and preserves the cohesion of the regime.”
A former foreign official who has met Min Aung Hlaing said: "Min Aung Hlaing could become a leader not just because of his ruthless means, but because of his ability to deftly defuse the pressures around him. Anyone else in his position might face even greater pressure."
Min Aung Hlaing has arranged for some generals to hold well-paid posts in military-linked enterprises, detained some senior officers, and even sent a potential successor to a military court. These moves help him control potential rivals.
While showing no mercy to potential threats, Min Aung Hlaing also knows how to reward loyal followers—reserving key posts for them, such as retired officer and former UN ambassador Than Swe. After the coup, Than Swe was appointed foreign minister of the military government.
According to someone familiar with Min Aung Hlaing, even before launching the coup, as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing showed strong interest in politics.
After the military handed over power to ex-soldier Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government in 2010, Min Aung Hlaing continued meeting with community and religious leaders. An insider said, "If he were just a career soldier, there would be no need for such actions."
Min Aung Hlaing was born in Dawei, southern Myanmar, the fourth of five siblings. He once studied law at university in the then-capital Yangon, and graduated from the Defense Services Academy in 1977 before joining the army.
Most soldiers consider themselves guardians of national unity, and it was precisely this mindset that prompted Min Aung Hlaing to launch the coup in 2021. An official familiar with Min Aung Hlaing said, "He thought it was justified, because then State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi simply ignored his opinions and concerns."
When Min Aung Hlaing announced the election timetable last year, he declared he intended to return power to the people through elections. However, the opposition, some Western countries, and human rights organizations all called the election a sham to consolidate military rule.
In December last year, when asked in Nay Pyi Taw whether he planned to become president after the election, Min Aung Hlaing said: "I can't simply say what I want to do or not do. After all, I am not the leader of any political party."
An official familiar with Min Aung Hlaing revealed that he recently hinted he was considering appointing someone else as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, while he himself might retire from the military and enter politics. However, Min Aung Hlaing did not specify what role he would take.