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| Vice President of Myanmar | |
|---|---|
| Post | Vice President of Myanmar |
| Style | His/Her Excellency |
| Member of | Union Parliament (Myanmar) |
| Appointer | Pyidaungsu Hluttaw |
| Formation | 1985 |
| First | Soe Win |
Vice President of Myanmar
The Vice President of Myanmar is a constitutional office within the Republic of the Union of Myanmar structure created to support the President of Myanmar and provide continuity of state leadership. The office operates within the framework of the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar and interacts with national institutions such as the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the Union Election Commission (Myanmar), and the Tatmadaw. Holders of the vice presidential role have been drawn from major political movements including the Union Solidarity and Development Party, the National League for Democracy, and military-affiliated cadres linked to the State Administration Council.
The vice presidential role is defined by the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar which established the parameters for executive succession, temporary discharge of presidential duties, and representation of the Union. The constitution specifies qualifications mirroring those for the President of Myanmar—citizenship criteria linked to historical documents such as the 1947 Constitution of the Union of Burma and eligibility provisions debated during the National Convention (Myanmar). Constitutional articles reference the relationship with the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and the Constitutional Tribunal of Myanmar for disputes.
Vice presidents are nominated through mechanisms anchored in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw voting process. Historically, one vice president has been nominated by the Amyotha Hluttaw and one by the Pyithu Hluttaw, while the Tatmadaw reserves a nomination slot under provisions tied to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services. Appointment follows a combined vote in the Union Parliament (Myanmar), reflecting precedents set by electoral arrangements observed in the 2010 Myanmar general election, the 2015 Myanmar general election, and the 2020 Myanmar general election. Contested selections have produced legal and political disputes involving actors like Aung San Suu Kyi, Thein Sein, and Min Aung Hlaing.
The vice president performs duties that include acting as deputy to the president, executing presidential responsibilities when the president is unable to serve, and representing the Union at functions alongside figures such as the State Counsellor of Myanmar and foreign dignitaries from countries like China, India, United States, and Japan. The office participates in appointment processes for bodies including the Union Civil Service Board and interacts with commissions such as the Myanmar Investment Commission. Vice presidential functions have sometimes intersected with emergency powers, cabinet formation tasks involving the Union Cabinet (Myanmar), and ceremonial roles linked to national events like Independence Day (Myanmar).
Constitutional provisions delineate a clear line of succession: if the president vacates the office, a vice president acts as president until the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw elects a successor. The relationship between president and vice presidents has been shaped by political tensions between civilian leaders like Win Myint and military figures represented by nominees affiliated with the Tatmadaw. Succession incidents have involved institutions such as the Union Election Commission (Myanmar), judicial bodies like the Supreme Court of Myanmar, and were influenced by events including the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.
The office evolved from earlier viceregal and deputy arrangements under the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma and subsequent military regimes. Post-independence deputy roles can be traced through transitional periods following the 1948 Burmese independence and the 1962 coup led by Ne Win. A formal list of vice presidents since institutionalization in the 1980s includes figures linked to administrations of Than Shwe, Thein Sein, and Htin Kyaw. Notable holders include Soe Win, Sai Mauk Kham, Henry Van Thio, and Myint Swe, whose tenures intersected with major events like the Saffron Revolution, the 2010 election, and the 2021 coup.
Vice presidents have represented a spectrum of political parties and ethnic backgrounds, reflecting Myanmar’s diversity comprising groups such as the Bamar people, Shan people, Karen people, and Chin people. Party affiliations span the Union Solidarity and Development Party, the National League for Democracy, and military-aligned independents. Ethno-political balancing influenced nominations under the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar to address representation in a state with multiple ethnic armed organizations like the Kachin Independence Army and the Karen National Union.
The vice presidency carries privileges including official residence arrangements, security protection coordinated with the Tatmadaw and the Ministry of Home Affairs (Myanmar), and protocol status within international diplomacy involving counterparts from ASEAN member states such as Thailand and Singapore. Compensation and staff allocations are governed by statutes enacted by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, and ceremonial insignia link to symbols like the State Seal of Myanmar.