Myanmar coup: why military felt threatened by ‘stubborn’ Suu Kyi
- The Tatmadaw claims its coup was a response to a fraudulent election in 2020, but it has been struggling to dominate the democracy icon for decades
- Her NLD party’s growing clout at the ballot box and plans to amend a constitution rigged in the military’s favour seem to have set the clock black
While the 2015 vote resulted in Suu Kyi becoming Myanmar’s state counsellor – and de facto leader in the eyes of the world – she remained barred from the presidency and hobbled by a constitution that had been drafted by the military years before to ensure it retained control over key ministries.
The military, or Tatmadaw, has claimed that it was widespread fraud in the election of 2020, in which the NLD won an even greater share of the vote, that prompted Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to seize power in a coup on February 1 and declare a year-long state of emergency.
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Myanmar military coup: Yangon residents make noise to protest against army takeover
But many observers believe that the 2020 election was merely the last straw; that the military was motivated by tensions that stretch back to the previous election and beyond, and more specifically to the NLD’s plans to amend the constitution and dilute the military’s political power.