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[h=4]Myanmar ruling party concedes election defeat[/h]The ruling political party here conceded defeat to Aung San Suu Kyi's<span style="color: Red;">*</span>opposition party<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in the nation's first free general election in a quarter of a century.
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The National League for Democracy is led by Noble Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar's constitution bars Suu Kyi from the presidency because she is a woman, but she has said she will rule in a position "above the president," if elected. AP
Leader of Myanmar's National League for Democracy party, Aung San Suu Kyi, right, delivers a speech with party patron Tin Oo from a balcony of her party's headquarters in Yangon, Myanmar, on Nov. 9.(Photo: AP)
RANGOON, Burma<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— The ruling political party here conceded defeat Monday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to opposition leader and Noble Peace Prize recipient<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Aung San Suu Kyi<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in the nation's first free general election in a quarter of a century, according to reports, although<span style="color: Red;">*</span>votes were still being counted.
"We lost," Htay Oo, leader of the Union Solidarity and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Development Party (USDP)<span style="color: Red;">*</span>told the Reuters news agency.
The National League for Democracy (NLD),<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Suu Kyi's party, is expected to win most<span style="color: Red;">*</span>of the votes and it expressed confidence the vote would go its way even as Suu Kyi<span style="color: Red;">*</span>urged caution, saying it was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>too early to celebrate.
“I think you all have the idea of the results,” she<span style="color: Red;">*</span>said to a crowed gathered at NLD's headquarters Monday.
Partial results released by the country's electoral commission showed the NLD on track to win the largest number of seats in Myanmar's parliament. But<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Myanmar's military<span style="color: Red;">*</span>will retain<span style="color: Red;">*</span>25% of the seats in parliament regardless of the vote's outcome and Suu Kyi is barred from becoming the country's president.
Suu Kyi has said that if elected<span style="color: Red;">*</span>she would rule in a position "above the president," but the precise meaning of that role was not clear. It could be days before official results are known.
The country, also known as Myanmar, held its first national elections in 25 years Sunday.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Suu Kyi, 70,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>spent decades trying to bring democracy to Myanmar, including<span style="color: Red;">*</span>15 years under house arrest for defying the nation's military rulers.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>She was released in 2010.
A heavy rain began falling as the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>first official election results started coming in, but the weather didn't deter several hundred red-clad NLD supporters that remained outside the party's headquarters from<span style="color: Red;">*</span>singing, waving flags and changing slogans.
"The rain is a blessing," said Michael Zaw, wearing an NLD headband and standing in the downpour without an umbrella. "We believe it is cleaning away the bad things for a new start."
For Kyi Win, 70, who earlier was waiting outside the party's headquarters wearing a shirt with Suu Kyi's face on it, the projected result was "an amazing victory."
"This is more than I expected. We've been waiting for 50 years. This victory is for the future of our country. The future will be bright for the young generation," he said.
USA TODAY
In Burma, millions take first steps into democracy
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