Myanmar's Parliament on Tuesday elected Htin Kyaw, a close aide and friend of Aung San Suu Kyi, as the country's first civilian president in decades. While the vote count is still underway, Kyaw's victory was confirmed after he won 360 out of 652 votes cast by Myanmar's two legislative chambers. The 69-year-old will serve in place of Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who is constitutionally barred from becoming president, reported AFP.

Kyaw will take office on April 1 to become Myanmar's first democratically elected leader after more than 50 years of military rule, reported the Associated Press. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a sweeping 80% majority in the polls held in November. The 70-year-old cannot become president because of a clause in the Constitution that bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from taking up the top post. Her two sons and late husband are British. However, Suu Kyi had said that she will rule from above by placing someone who has her trust in the position.