Kuala Lampur, April 3 --  

NAYPYIDAW, April 3 - Myanmar's parliament elected junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as president today, an AFP tally showed, with the ex-military commander set to maintain his rule in a civilian guise after snatching power by force five years ago.

The coup-leading general received at least 293 votes of 584 cast by MPs, passing the majority threshold, according to a tally of the ongoing vote count by AFP journalists.

Min Aung Hlaing-who swept aside democracy in 2021, detaining elected figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi and dissolving her party-was anointed by pro-military MPs installed in a poll overseen by the junta he leads.

While the junta touted parliament's reopening last month as a return of power to the people...