Myanmar’s government confirmed that dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her allies won a sweeping victory in weekend by-elections. State radio and television reported that Ms. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won 43 of the 45 parliamentary seats.

Speaking to thousands of red-clad supporters outside the headquarters of her opposition party, the National League for Democracy, the Nobel laureate called the election "a triumph of the people" and said: "We hope this will be the beginning of a new era."

Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at the National League for Democracy (NLD) party headquarters after winning her seat in the parliament and a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections April 2, 2012 in Yangon, Myanmar. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)