by Francis Khoo Thwe

In case of victory at the polls, the "Lady" will be at the head of the executive and "above the president." The Nobel Laureate spares no criticism of the election campaign and the Commission, which has failed to prevent irregularities. New appeal by Cardinal Bo: "vote without fear or favor."

Yangon (AsiaNews) - Aung San Suu Kyi has made her strongest statements to date in campaigning for the November 8 general elections  in Myanmar and has announced that, in case of victory of her party, she will lead the government and have a role that is "above the president."

It is a political message to the current executive, the generals and the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USPD), which in recent months objected to the amendment of an an ad hoc norm which prevents Suu Kyi from becoming head of state. The "Lady" launches a clear signal that if he wins the National League for Democracy she will operate, although it will not as president.

Burmese analysts and policy experts have forecast that the NLD will do well in the elections.  However, even in case of victory, the Nobel Laureate is excluded by law from the becoming president. These latest declarations by the "Lady" is the strongest warning yet to the current leadership of the country on the eve of the first free elections and take part in 25 years and with more than 90 parties in the running.

During a press conference at her home in Yangon, where she spent 15 years under house arrest between 1990 and 2011, the NLD leaders, Aung San Suu Kyi launched "a very simple message": in the case of victory at the polls "I will be above the president, "because there are no provisions in the Constitution that prevent this. In reality, Article 58 states that the president "takes precedence over all other persons" in the country.

The 70 year old "Lady" of Myanmar did not spare criticism of the electoral process and the ways in which the campaign was held, stressing that it was not really "free and fair" and the commission in charge has not been able to deal with the irregularities. Moreover, in recent times there have been cases of violence against opposition candidates and arrests of activists and students.

Aung San Suu Kyi seems therefore ready to assume the burden of leading the country without a clear institutional recognition, through a government of "national reconciliation". What remains to be seen, however, is the outcome of the vote and how it will reflect in the Parliament, where 25% of the seats – under the current Constitution – are assigned by law to the military. And to change the Charter, currently 75% of  votes is needed. A seemingly impossible goal for the NLD, which can only hope for a maximum 67% of the vote to lead the next government, compared to 33% of the USPD who can count on the alliance with the military.

The Archbishop of Yangon, Card. Charles Maung Bo yesterday gave a long interviewto AsiaNews on the elections. In a statement the cardinal speaks of "first free elections" and thanks those who have worked and are working to make this vote "a success."

He also turns to the Electoral Commission asking it make sure the voting process is "free and just for the poor and marginalized." "Voting is a sacred right" and this is why the cardinal invites the men and women of Myanmar to "vote without fear or favor."

• MYANMAR
• ELECTIONS
• AUNG
• SAN
• SUU
• KYI