Newly elected Myanmar President Htin Kyaw with Aung San Suu Kyi in Nay Pyi Daw on Tuesday.
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The 70-year-old Htin Kyaw, a longtime confidant of Suu Kyi, will take office April 1 but questions remain about his position and power.
But in some ways, his ascension does little to bring him out of the background he has long occupied.
Her choice of Mr Htin Kyaw to act in her place is seen as proof of her absolute faith in his loyalty.
Analysts say that the generals will be a priority for Htin Kyaw and Aung San Suu Kyi as they move forward in the coming weeks.
Htin Kyaw, 69, an executive committee member of a Suu Kyi-led foundation, will be sworn in on March 30 at a crucial time in Burma’s history, as the country shifts from military-backed government to a civilian one lead by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.
The recent decision by the Myanmar constitutional court to forbid her as president is a damaging, symbolic loss for the NLD and Suu Kyi.
The Union Parliament comprising two Houses is shared by NLD with 390 MPs or 59.36 percent, USDP with 41 or 6.24 percent, other parties and individuals with 60 or 9.132 percent and military representatives with 166 or 25.26 percent.
With its large corporate holdings, the military continues to exert heavy economic sway. Suu Kyi’s test will be in steering the government between the generals and Myanmar’s thirst for change.
Yanghee Lee, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, said there was no time for complacency because Myanmar had hundreds of laws that were out of line with its global obligations, and people could be sentenced to hard labour for “all kinds of reasons”.
The army’s candidate for president, General Myint Swe, who placed second, will become the first vice president. It has its own way of developing. “But that doesn’t mean it can’t work”.
Mahn Johnny, a Catholic and lawmaker from the Irrawaddy Division, hailed Htin Kyaw’s election as a gift from God to the people of Myanmar. He went to school in Yangon alongside Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Suu Kyi before winning a scholarship to study in Britain.
“He was always beside her, whether she was under house arrest or was travelling”.
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry issued his congratulations to Kyaw, but not without adding this note of caution to the proceedings.
Of course, Aung San Suu Kyi is the NLD’s unquestioned leader.
His Kyaw running-mate and cultural Face prospect Henry Van Thio, who got 79 votes followed closely him.
Suu Kyi is barred from the post by the constitution, but has said she will lead the country anyway.
Suu Kyi was detained for more than 15 years, mostly under house arrest, by a military junta that feared her political popularity.
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As just one example, “the judiciary is not really independent”. His name is on a United States sanctions list.
