Myint Swe | |
|---|---|
မြင့်ဆွေ | |
.jpg) Myint Swe in 2018 | |
| Acting President of Myanmar | |
| In office 1 February 2021 – 7 August 2025 | |
| Vice President | Henry Van Thio |
| Prime Minister | Min Aung Hlaing |
| Preceded by | Win Myint |
| Succeeded by | Vacant (Min Aung Hlaing on duty on NDSC since 2024)[2] |
| In office 21 March 2018 – 30 March 2018 | |
| Vice President | Henry Van Thio |
| State Counsellor | Aung San Suu Kyi |
| Preceded by | Htin Kyaw |
| Succeeded by | Win Myint |
| 3rdFirst Vice President of Myanmar | |
| In office 30 March 2016 – 7 August 2025 Serving with Henry Van Thio (2016–2024) | |
| President | Htin Kyaw Himself (acting) Win Myint Himself (acting) Min Aung Hlaing (acting) |
| Preceded by | Sai Mauk Kham |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| 1stChief Minister ofYangon Region | |
| In office 30 March 2011 – 30 March 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Phyo Min Thein |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-06-24)24 June 1951 |
| Died | 7 August 2025(2025-08-07) (aged 74) Naypidaw, Myanmar |
| Political party | Union Solidarity and Development (USDP) |
| Spouse | Khin Thet Htay |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Defence Services Academy |
| Awards | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Myanmar |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1973–2010 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
Myint Swe (Burmese:မြင့်ဆွေ;pronounced[mjɪ̰ɰ̃sʰwè]; 24 June 1951 – 7 August 2025) was a Burmese politician and army officer who wasVice President of Myanmar from 30 March 2016, and ActingPresident of Myanmar from 1 February 2021 until his death in 2025, though withdrawing for health reasons on 22 July 2024. He also served as the acting president from 21 March 2018 to 30 March 2018 after the resignation of PresidentHtin Kyaw, and the chief minister ofYangon Region from 30 March 2011 to 30 March 2016. A member of the military proxyUnion Solidarity and Development Party, he was an ethnicMon and a lieutenant general in theMyanmar Army.[3][4]
Myint was declared acting president by theTatmadaw in thecoup d'état on 1 February 2021, after which he immediately declared a state of emergency and formally transferred power to coup leaderMin Aung Hlaing.[5][6][7][8] Throughout his political career, Myint Swe worked to ensure the Tatmadaw's influence in politics. He was rarely seen in public after the coup, with Min Aung Hlaing serving as the face of the government.[9] Myint Swe's main role in the military government was to formally grant and renew Min Aung Hlaing's emergency powers.
Myint graduated from theDefence Services Academy in 1973 as part of the 15th intake.[10] He became abrigadier general and commander of LightInfantry Division 11 in 1997. He was appointed Commander of Southeastern Command and member ofState Peace and Development Council in 2001. He was transferred as Commander of Yangon Command and promoted tomajor general. He also acted as Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council.He became the Chief ofMilitary Security Affairs after GeneralKhin Nyunt was purged in 2004.[11] He became Chief of Bureau of Special Operations – 5 (BSO-5) in January 2006. He was the firstethnic Mon to be promoted to the rank ofLieutenant General in 2005.[12] He was promoted toQuartermaster General and was rumored to be the next in line to replaceVice-Senior GeneralMaung Aye in 2009.[10][13]
He executed 3 major events while he was commanding the Yangon Command, arresting family members of GeneralNe Win in 2002 after an alleged coup conspiracy was uncovered, arrestingKhin Nyunt and his associates in 2004, in the purge of the Military Intelligence faction and crushing theSaffron Revolution in 2007. His actions afterCyclone Nargis were criticized. He dealt with activists harshly in the pre-2010 general election period.[13]
Myint was nominated as chief-minister of theYangon Region after thegeneral election by PresidentThein Sein. He was tipped to be nominated to becomeVice President of Burma afterTin Aung Myint Oo's resignation in 2012, but did not qualify per theConstitution of Burma, as his son-in-law was anAustralian citizen at the time.[14]
On 11 March 2016, military-appointedMPs of theAssembly of the Union nominated him as one of theVice Presidents of Myanmar. He received 213 votes on 15 March 2016 and became First Vice President ofHtin Kyaw's Cabinet.[15] He was sworn in on 30 March 2016.[16]
On 21 March 2018, following the sudden resignation ofHtin Kyaw asPresident of Myanmar, Myint Swe was sworn in as acting president under theConstitution of Myanmar, which also called for theAssembly to select a new president within seven days of Htin Kyaw's resignation.[17]
On 1 February 2021, PresidentWin Myint wasremoved from office in a coup and detained by theTatmadaw (Myanmar's military), so Myint Swe would become Acting President, allowing him to call a meeting of the military-controlledNational Defence and Security Council (NDSC) and declare a state of emergency and formally transfer power to coup leaderMin Aung Hlaing. The military maintains that Myint Swe constitutionally assumed the presidency because the constitution states the first vice president becomes acting president if the presidency becomes vacant due to "resignation, death, permanent disability or any other cause". However, according to theInternational Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, this interpretation is questionable as the military had no legal authority to detain Win Myint and the constitution provides for an impeachment and removal process which was not followed.[18]
Myint extended the state of emergency five times by six month periods at meetings of the NSDC, but did not otherwise participate in government.[19][9] The third extension was especially controversial because the constitution says up to two extensions are "normally" allowed. According to some international observers such as theInternational Crisis Group, the third extension was unconstitutional. Myint Swe justified the extension due to what he said are "extraordinary circumstances". The junta-packedConstitutional Tribunal affirmed his interpretation.[20][21][22]
In a November 2023 meeting of the NSDC, Myint warned that the country was at risk of being "split into various parts" amid the civil war.[23]
On 18 July 2024, state media in Myanmar reported that Myint Swe was suffering from neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy disease, adding that he had been receiving medical treatment since early in 2024 and was unable to eat or carry out other basic functions.[24] On 22 July 2024, he took medical leave and transferred his duties as president to Min Aung Hlaing on an acting basis,[25] but remained in office.[26]
Born on 24 June 1951 inMandalay,[27][28] Myint was ofMon descent.[14] He was married toKhin Thet Htay, and had two children.[29]
On 7 August 2025, Myint died at a military hospital inNaypyitaw, following a long illness involving neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy. He was 74.[30][31][32] The government announced that he would be accorded a state funeral and that five days of national mourning from 7 to 11 August would be observed.[33]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New office | Chief Minister ofYangon Region 2011–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | First Vice President of Myanmar 2016–2025 | Vacant |
| Preceded by | ActingPresident of Myanmar 2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Acting President of Myanmar 2021–2025 | Vacant |
| Union of Burma (1948–1962) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1962–1988) | ||
| Union of Burma / Myanmar (1988–2011) | ||
| Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2011–present) | ||
| ||
