Burmese President Thein Sein has resigned as chairman of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), according to the party’s newspaper, the Union Daily. The move, which was formally announced at a party youth function on Wednesday, is in compliance with Burma’s 2008 Constitution, which states that “if the president and the vice presidents are members of a political party, they shall not take part in its party activities during their term of office from the day of their election.” Lower House Speaker and USDP Vice-Chairman Shwe Mann replaces Thein Sein as party chairman.