Myanmar on Sunday launched its first general election in five years, with early voters lining up outside polling stations across parts of the military-ruled country, even as a protracted civil war and widespread repression cast a long shadow over the process.
The heavily restricted polls are being conducted under the supervision of Myanmar’s ruling military junta, which has promoted the election as a step toward national reconciliation and a return to democratic rule. Western governments and human rights organizations, however, have dismissed the vote as a façade designed to entrench military control through proxy political parties.
The election comes nearly five years after the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s powerful armed forces, seized power in a February 2021 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. That takeover sparked nationwide protests and armed resistance, plunging the country into a deadly civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions. Fighting continues across much of the Southeast Asian nation, even as voting proceeds.
Opposition groups have called on citizens to boycott the polls, arguing that the conditions for a free and fair election do not exist.
Phased and Limited Voting
The month-long election is divided into three phases. The first round began at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday and took place in 102 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, including the capital Naypyidaw and the major cities of Yangon and Mandalay. Polling in this initial phase closed at 4 p.m. local time.
The second and third phases are scheduled for January 11 and January 25. No voting is being held in areas controlled by rebel groups, significantly limiting participation in large swaths of the country.
More than 4,800 candidates from 57 political parties are contesting the elections. Only six parties, including the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), are fielding candidates nationwide. The USDP is widely expected to secure a decisive victory. The remaining 51 parties and independent candidates are competing solely for regional legislatures.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s former civilian leader, remains imprisoned. Her National League for Democracy, which won a landslide victory in the 2020 election before being removed by the military, was dissolved in 2023 and is not participating in the current vote.
International Condemnation
The junta has enacted laws it says are intended to prevent “disruption” of the election, banning protests and criticism related to the polls. Authorities are reportedly pursuing legal action against more than 200 people accused of violating these provisions.
“These elections are clearly taking place in an environment of violence and repression,” United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk said in a statement last week, echoing concerns raised by rights groups and foreign governments.
On Sunday, Myanmar’s military chief and junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing, cast his ballot in Naypyidaw alongside other military personnel, according to the French news agency AFP. Speaking to reporters, he defended the process.
“We guarantee it to be a free and fair election,” Min Aung Hlaing said. “It’s organised by the military, we can’t let our name be tarnished.”
As voting continues into January, the election is set to test the junta’s claims of legitimacy while doing little to resolve the conflict and political divisions that continue to grip Myanmar.
Asia Pacific Newslog 