Myanmar’s parliament, ousted by the military Feb. 1, plans to set up a national unity government the first week of April, according to a statement by a parallel administration of key allies of detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The new government will be a coalition of all federal democratic forces under the terms of the Federal Democracy Charter and a collective leadership, according to Wednesday’s statement. The caretaker vice president, Mahn Win Khaing Than, and acting ministers “will continue to carry out their responsibilities before the formation of the government.”
Prioritizing the end of dictatorship, the government will be composed of a president, state counselor — a post previously held by Suu Kyi — two vice presidents, a premier, ministers and deputies. Additionally, it will cede greater power to state leaders, placing them above union ministers.
The parliament also declared the abolition of Junta’s 2008 Constitution with immediate effect, and approved the 20-page Federal Democracy Charter, a blueprint for drafting a new constitution through a national referendum.
The charter, which represents a broad-based consensus, will play a key role in the new government, according to the statement from the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, or CRPH.
Meanwhile, the military junta had earlier declared the committee to be unlawful, and threatened legal action against anyone interacting with it under the colonial-era Unlawful Association Act.
