(VOVworld) - The ruling party in Myanmar, National League for Democracy, has said it may not conduct the amendments to the existing constitution and instead seek to write a new one.

Myanmar FM Aung San Suu Kyi (Photo: AFP/VNA)

According to the NLD’s legal department, the party’s leaders realized that it will be useless trying to amend the current constitution, as the military holds veto powers in the parliament. As a result, the NLD may instead choose to hold a national referendum on its plan to compile a new constitution.

But both President U Htin Kyaw and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi have emphasized that the constitutional reforms are the party’s top priority.

In her New Year address in the middle of this month, Aung San Suu Kyi underlined the need to adopt a constitution that will give birth to a genuine, federal democratic union and that the NLD party will amend the constitution in the ways that will not adversely affect the people and national peace.

In 2014, the NLD party launched a 5 million signature petition asking the parliament to change several articles of the constitution.