Democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi declared a “new era” for Burma Monday, after her party claimed a landslide victory in Sunday's parliamentary by-elections.

Although official results could take days, the opposition National League for Democracy says it won at least 43 of the 44 seats it had contested. That includes the four seats in the administrative capital, Naypyitaw, which is populated mostly by government workers and military personnel.

Aung San Suu Kyi told a crowd of supporters outside NLD headquarters in Rangoon Monday that she hoped the election results will force government to heed the will of ordinary citizens.

“We hope that this is the beginning of the new era, where there will be more emphasis on the role of the people in the everyday politics of the country.”

She appealed to other political parties to help bring democracy and better living conditions to the impoverished country.