2008 Myanmar constitutional referendum

2008 Myanmar constitutional referendum

10 May 2008 (2008-05-10)
(24 May 2008 (2008-05-24) in some townships)

Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 24,764,124 93.82%
No 1,631,712 6.18%
Valid votes 26,395,836 98.58%
Invalid or blank votes 380,839 1.42%
Total votes 26,776,675 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 27,288,827 98.12%

A constitutional referendum was held in Myanmar on 10 May 2008 (24 May 2008 in some townships) according to an announcement by the State Peace and Development Council in February 2008.[1] According to the military government, the new Constitution of Myanmar will ensure the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy".[2] Multi-party elections followed in 2010.

The constitutional referendum law was enacted and a referendum commission was set up on 26 February 2008.[3] Reportedly, the law ensures the secret casting of votes and requires a public count of the ballots to prove it is fair.[4]

The draft constitution was published and the date of the referendum finally announced on 9 April 2008. Among the changes that the referendum sought to make are:

  • One quarter of all parliamentary seats would be reserved for military officers.
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs would fall exclusively under military control.[5]
  • Anyone married to a person who was not a citizen of Myanmar would be barred from running for the office of president.[6] Many international media reports suggest that this provision would have the effect of making opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi ineligible for the presidency,[7] although her British husband died in 1999.