Myanmar's current president, U Myin Swee, has passed away.
Myanmar's Acting President U Myint Swe Passes Away After Long Illness
U Myint Swe, a retired Lieutenant General and former acting president of Myanmar, passed away on 7 August 2025 at a military hospital in Naypyitaw. His death marks the end of a political career that spanned several key roles, including vice-president and acting president, and bridged Myanmar's military and quasi-civilian governments.
Myint Swe's political journey began when he was nominated as chief minister of Yangon Region in 2011 by President Thein Sein. During this time, he played a role in restoring order in Yangon during the 2007 Saffron Revolution unrest under the military government.
In 2016, Myint Swe was appointed as First Vice President of Myanmar. Following a military coup in 2021, which seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myint Swe became Acting President under the constitution. However, his role was largely pro forma with real power exercised by Min Aung Hlaing.
Since early 2023, Myint Swe experienced worsening symptoms such as slowed movement and difficulty eating. Medical tests revealed Parkinson’s disease and related neurological disorders. He received treatment both in Myanmar at a military hospital in Naypyitaw and at Mount Elizabeth Medical Center in Singapore. Due to his deteriorating health, he withdrew from the acting presidency on 22 July 2024, and Min Aung Hlaing assumed the role of acting president subsequently.
The reinstatement of general elections in Myanmar on 20 July 2025 is a significant development in the country's political landscape. The last general elections were held in 2015, and no elections have been held for the past four and a half years due to the state of emergency.
U Myint Swe was a key figure in Myanmar's governance before his temporary handover of duties in 2024. Prior to becoming acting president, he served as vice-president from 2016. His cause of death is not specified, but it was reported in June 2024 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions.
U Myint Swe's passing marks the end of a political career that saw him rise from military leadership roles into top political offices, playing a central part in the 2021 military coup transition, and culminating in his withdrawal and death in 2025. He will be remembered as a pivotal figure bridging Myanmar’s military and quasi-civilian governments before and after the coup.
Despite his long-term illness, U Myint Swe continued to serve as Acting President amidst war-and-conflicts and political turmoil, following the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. As the reinstatement of general elections approaches in 2025, U Myint Swe's passing leaves a void in the country's politics, particularly in the context of general-news regarding the current political landscape of Myanmar.
