Subverting Myanmar's Constitution for Its Own Good

When the first act of a new legislature is to circumvent its country’s written constitution, it’s usually a bad sign. Not so in Myanmar, where the democratically elected parliament moved last week to create the post of “state counselor” and give the job to Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader and symbol of Myanmar’s long struggle against military dictatorship.

She’s banned from serving as president by the constitution enacted under the military government that preceded hers, under a provision meant to prevent her from taking the office. Getting around it is a triumph of constitutional creativity and respect, not a worrisome undercutting of the rule of law.