Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Prime Minister of Myanmar

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President of Myanmar

First holder
  
U Nu

Abolished
  
30 March 2011

Formation
  
4 January 1948

Final holder
  
Thein Sein

Prime Minister of Myanmar

Succession
  
State Counsellor of Myanmar

The Prime Minister of Myanmar was the head of government of Myanmar (also known as Burma) from 1948 to 2011.

Contents

History of the office

The position of Prime Minister was created in 1948, when Burma gained independence from the United Kingdom. Since then, eleven people have held the office (with two of them doing so on multiple occasions). Due to the country's long period of military rule, it has not been uncommon for the Prime Minister to be a serving (or recently retired) military officer.

The actual power of the Prime Minister has considerably varied over time, differing based on who holds the office. In 2004, a power struggle between the then head of state, Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, and his Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt resulted in the Prime Minister being dismissed and arrested.

The position was abolished on 30 March 2011, according to the current Constitution (adopted in 2008). It provided that the President is both the head of state and head of government. But after the 2015 general election, as Aung San Suu Kyi was constitutionally barred from becoming President, a position called State Counsellor, similar to Prime Minister, was established for her on 6 April 2016.

Prime Ministers of Burma/Myanmar (1948–2011)

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

References

Prime Minister of Myanmar Wikipedia