The Union Parliament today elected Win Myint as Myanmar's new president, about a week after the resignation of his predecessor Htin Kyaw.
The new President Win Myint will become the tenth president of Myanmar.
He was elected from a shortlist of the three vice-presidents: Myint Swe, Henry Van Thio and him.
Win Myint won 403 votes, Myint Swe won 201 votes and Henry Van Thio won 18 votes. Four ballots were ruled invalid.
Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from the presidency because her children are not Myanmar citizens, a rule inserted by the military when it drafted a new constitution in 2008 that helped it retain a large role in running the country.
But Suu Kyi still leads the civilian government as state counsellor, a post engineered for her after her party dominated elections in 2015.
Win Myint is a lawyer and former activist who stood beside Suu Kyi during the 1988 democracy movement that was brutally suppressed by the then military junta.
He is known for his strict management style in parliament but is one of Suu Kyi's inner circle so would likely remain loyal to the Nobel laureate as president.
Yangon-based political analyst Yan Kyaw said that while Win Myint's profile may rise, "he won't do anything against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi".
