Myanmar‘s figurehead president, Myint Swe, has passed away at the age of 74 due to “neurodegenerative diseases and related neurological disorders”. The president died in a hospital in the capital Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday morning. Myint Swe had been suffering from declining health for over a year and was on medical leave since July 2024. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has been performing Myint Swe’s largely ceremonial duties since then.
Myint Swe became the acting president after the 2021 coup, which overthrew the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. As acting president, he endorsed multiple extensions to the country’s state of emergency. In July, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that Myint Swe was in a “critical condition” after experiencing weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, and a decline in cognitive function.
The junta has scheduled a state funeral for Myint Swe. Min Aung Hlaing announced in March that the country would hold a national election in December 2025 or January 2026, but critics say the election is a sham designed to maintain the junta’s power through proxy political parties. Last week, Myanmar’s junta ended the state of emergency and transferred power to an interim government to pave the way for the election. However, Min Aung Hlaing retains de facto control over the country’s leadership.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the 2021 coup, with a civil war persisting between junta forces and ethnic armed groups. The country’s economy is also crumbling, and the military’s rule has been widely criticized. Myint Swe’s death does not seem to change the current power dynamics in the country, with Min Aung Hlaing continuing to hold significant control.
Myanmar’s military leadership has faced international scrutiny for human rights abuses and democratic reforms stagnation under Min Aung Hlaing’s rule since 2021 coup.