Opposition (Myanmar)

Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent Parliament dissolved since 31 January 2021
Term length	While leader of the largest political party in the Assembly of the Union that is not in government
Inaugural holder	Sai Hla Kyaw

The Opposition are the political parties represented in the Assembly of the Union that are not in government either on their own or as part of a governing coalition. The Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the Assembly of the Union that is not in government.

The Leader of the Opposition is often seen as a President-in-Waiting or future Speaker of the Assembly of the Union and Speaker of Pyithu Hluttaw or Speaker of Amyotha Hluttaw.

On March, 16, 2026, the Parliament reconvened for the first time after a five-year hiatus, but its legality was contested by an "opposition shadow parliament, formed by elected lawmakers who were removed from their seats after the military seized power in a 2021 coup". ^[1]

List of leaders of the opposition since 2011

   Shan Nationalities Democratic Party

   National League for Democracy

   Union Solidarity and Development Party

Portrait		Name (Born-Died)	Term of office			Political party	Assembly	President
			Took office	Left office	Days
1		Sai Hla Kyaw (b. 1955)	30 March 2011	12 May 2012	409	Shan Nationalities Democratic Party	1(2010)		Thein Sein (2011-2016)
2		Aung San Suu Kyi [2] (b. 1945)	12 May 2012	29 March 2016	1417	National League for Democracy
3		Thein Sein (b. 1945)	1 April 2016	23 August 2016	201	Union Solidarity and Development Party	2(2015)		Htin Kyaw (2016–2018)
4		Than Htay [3] [ failed verification ] (b. 1954)	23 August 2016	31 January 2021	1622	Union Solidarity and Development Party
									Win Myint (2018-2021)
Assembly of the Union dissolved (2021–present)

See also

• Parliamentary opposition
• Loyal opposition
• List of political parties in Burma

References

1. Law, Nova Kruijning | Erasmus School of; NL (2026-03-16). "Myanmar parliament reconvenes for first time since military coup following contested election". www.jurist.org. Retrieved 2026-03-22.
2. "Aung San Suu Kyi re-elected leader of Burma's opposition party". The Guardian. Associated Press. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
3. Ei Ei Toe Lwin (24 August 2016). "U Thein Sein steps down as USDP chair". The Myanmar Times . Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2016.