Naypyitaw: Myanmar's parliament voted today to elect the country's new president, a watershed moment that will usher the longtime opposition party of Aung San Suu Kyi into government. Htin Kyaw, 70, a longtime confidant of Suu Kyi, is expected to become the country's first democratically elected leader after more than half a century of military rule.

The new president takes office on April 1, following Tuesday's vote by 652 members of parliament. Five lawmakers were absent from the 657-seat bicameral legislature. Htin Kyaw is among three final candidates whose names appeared on the ballot.