For the first time in over half a century, Myanmar has a government with a popular mandate. Although the Myanmar armed forces still have extensive political powers under the 2008 constitution, and may seriously curtail the independent action of the new government, the inauguration of President U Htin Kyaw represents a radical increase in the internal and international legitimacy of the Myanmar State.
Paradoxically, this coincides with a setback for the country’s ethnic minorities and their struggle for autonomous status within a federal state, to be negotiated as part of a national political dialogue.
