2008 Myanmar constitutional referendum

2008 Myanmar constitutional referendum

10 May 2008 (2008-05-10) (24 May 2008 (2008-05-24) in some townships)
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 24,764,124 93.82% No 1,631,712 6.18% Valid votes 26,395,836 98.58% Invalid or blank votes 380,839 1.42% Total votes 26,776,675 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 27,288,827 98.12%

Politics of Myanmar
Constitution 2008 Constitution Constitutional Tribunal Chairman: Than Kyaw National Defence and Security Council
Government President (list) Min Aung Hlaing (acting) State Administration Council Chairman: Min Aung Hlaing Vice Chairman: Soe Win Vice-President First: Myint Swe Second: Vacant Prime Minister (list) Min Aung Hlaing Deputy Prime Minister Soe Win Mya Tun Oo Tin Aung San Win Shein Than Swe Cabinet Provisional Government
Legislature (dissolved) House of Nationalities Speaker House of Representatives Speaker Opposition
Judiciary Supreme Court Chief Justice: Htun Htun Oo Constitutional Tribunal Chairman: Than Kyaw
Recent elections General: 2015 2020 Next Presidential: 2016 2018 Next Political parties
Administrative divisions States, Regions and Union Territories Self-Administered Zones and Divisions Districts Townships
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Than Swe Ministry of International Cooperation Minister: Ko Ko Hlaing Diplomatic missions of / in Myanmar Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Exiled government Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw National Unity Government President: Duwa Lashi La (acting) Prime Minister: Mahn Win Khaing Than Vice President: Duwa Lashi La
Related topics Conflict Federalism Human rights National Human Rights Commission Naming issues
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A constitutional referendum was held in Myanmar on 10 May 2008 (24 May 2008 in some townships) according to an announcement by the State Peace and Development Council in February 2008.^[1] According to the military government, the new Constitution of Myanmar will ensure the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy".^[2] Multi-party elections followed in 2010.

The constitutional referendum law was enacted and a referendum commission was set up on 26 February 2008.^[3] Reportedly, the law ensures the secret casting of votes and requires a public count of the ballots to prove it is fair.^[4]

The draft constitution was published and the date of the referendum finally announced on 9 April 2008. Among the changes that the referendum sought to make are:

• One quarter of all parliamentary seats would be reserved for military officers.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs would fall exclusively under military control.^[5]
• Anyone married to a person who was not a citizen of Myanmar would be barred from running for the office of president.^[6] Many international media reports suggest that this provision would have the effect of making opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi ineligible for the presidency,^[7] although her British husband died in 1999.