BANGKOK (Reuters) – Myanmar’s parliament blocked a bid by the party of leader Aung San Suu Kyi to reduce the role of the military in politics on Tuesday, almost a decade into a troubled democratic transition. FILE PHOTO – State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi attends the 22nd ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, November 4, 2019. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa In the first day of voting on a series of proposed constitutional amendments, lawmakers vetoed changes backed by the ruling party that would have altered the 2008 charter drafted by the former ruling military junta. The rejected amendments would have gradually reduced the number of military MPs, over a period of 15 years, and abolished a section that names the commander-in-chief of the defense services as the “supreme commander of all armed forces”. The constitution guarantees military members of parliament a quarter of the seats in the legislature. Any changes to the charter require the approval of more than two thirds of lawmakers, giving the army an effective veto. A spokesman for Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. A government spokesman declined to answer questions. Lawmakers also rejected removing the… Read full this story
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