What We Know So Far

Here's what we know so far about the election and what it means for the nascent democracy.

Who won?

Right now it's hard to say unequivocally, as full results aren't in. But from the few seats declared, Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party is sweeping the board. Her party has won 78 of the 88 seats announced so far in the lower house, which has a total of 323 seats up for grabs. The NLD is also dominating many regional parliamentary seats -- 142 out of 162 declared so far -- which could give them significant influence over important local authorities. There are a total of 652 regional parliamentary seats to fill.

Will the NLD form the next government?

At the current rate of results, it certainly looks like it. Under Myanmar's complicated 2008 military-crafted constitution, the NLD needs to take at least 67 percent of seats in both the lower and upper houses to form a government. In a BBC interview yesterday, Suu Kyi said she believed the NLD were on track to take 75 percent of seats, which would push her party well over the 67 percent threshold.

Challenges ahead

Firstly, Suu Kyi can't be president -- she is currently forbidden from taking the top spot under the constitution, which bans those with foreign children. Her two sons are British. Secondly, even if she forms a majority, any major constitutional reform is going to be very difficult. The army bloc within the legislature can effectively veto any changes to the charter. That means a Suu Kyi presidency remains a distant prospect -- an obstruction the powerhouse politician cryptically vowed to circumnavigate by being "above the president". A third issue is that the military still holds other constitutional cards, including the top security posts at the home, defence and border affairs ministries.

How will the president be chosen?

Myanmar's president is directly elected by the legislature.   Once the new parliament is up and running, electing the new president can begin, some time around February or March 2016. The lower and upper houses will each put forward a candidate, as will the military bloc. The whole parliament then votes on the three -- the winner becomes president and the losers vice presidents. Even if the NLD's chosen candidate wins, he or she will likely have at least one military-backed vice president.