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5 - The Union Government

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2020

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Summary

Provisions of the Constitution

The 2008 constitution of Myanmar set the parameters of President Thein Sein's reforms. The relevant sections are as follow:

Section 200:

The Union Government shall comprise the following persons:

(a) The President;

(b) Vice-Presidents;

(c) Ministers of the Union;

(d) The Attorney General of the Union.

Section 202:

The President, with the approval of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw [Union assembly], may:

(a) designate the Ministries of the Union Government as necessary, and may make changes and additions to the ministries;

(b) designate the number of the Union Ministers as necessary, and may increase or decrease the number.

Section 203:

The President shall be responsible to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. The Vice-Presidents shall be responsible to the President and also to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw through the President.

Session 224:

The Ministries of the Union Government shall, in carrying out the functions of their subordinate governmental departments and organizations, manage, guide, supervise and inspect in accord with the provisions of the Constitution and the existing laws.

Section 232(b)(ii):

In order to appoint Union Ministers, the President shall: obtain a list of suitable Defence Services personnel nominated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services for Ministries of Defence, Home Affairs and Border Affairs;

Section 232(i):

If the Union Minister is a representative of a Hluttaw, it shall be deemed that he has resigned from the day he is appointed as a Union Minister. Section 232(k): If the Union Minister is a member of any political party, he shall not take part in its party activities during the term of office from the day he is appointed as a Union Minister.

According to section 233, any Union minister may be impeached and removed by the Hluttaw and according to section 235(c) the president may direct any Union minister to resign.

The Formation of Thein Sein's Administration

Thein Sein, who was elected president at the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw session held on 4 February 2011, presented a proposal on 8 February for the formation of a Union government with 34 ministries and 30 Union ministers. During the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw debate over the list of ministries on 9 February, National Democratic Front (NDF) party representative Dr Myat Nyana Soe objected that there were too many ministries and proposed the number should be reduced to 25, but also proposed the establishment of a new Ministry of Ethnic Affairs.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
Print publication year: 2019

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  • The Union Government
  • Ye Htut
  • Book: Myanmar's Political Transition and Lost Opportunities (2010–2016)
  • Online publication: 25 January 2020
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  • The Union Government
  • Ye Htut
  • Book: Myanmar's Political Transition and Lost Opportunities (2010–2016)
  • Online publication: 25 January 2020
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The Union Government
  • Ye Htut
  • Book: Myanmar's Political Transition and Lost Opportunities (2010–2016)
  • Online publication: 25 January 2020
Available formats
×