Myanmar Holds First Election in Five Years Under Military Rule as Civil War Grinds On

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

Voters across parts of Myanmar went to the polls on Sunday in the opening phase of the country’s first general election in five years, a vote organized by the military government amid an ongoing civil war and deep skepticism about its credibility.

The election marks the first nationwide ballot since the armed forces seized power in February 2021, overthrowing the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The military justified its takeover by alleging fraud in the 2020 election, an outcome that international observers said overwhelmingly reflected the will of voters. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy secured a landslide victory in that poll but was prevented from forming a second term in office.

Balloting on Sunday took place in 102 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, including areas of Yangon, the country’s largest city, as well as the purpose-built capital Naypyitaw and several other urban centers. Voters cast their ballots at polling stations set up in high schools, government offices and religious buildings, under tight security.

Critics at home and abroad have dismissed the election as an attempt by the military to cloak its rule in a veneer of legitimacy rather than a genuine step toward restoring democratic governance. Major opposition parties have been excluded or sidelined, civil liberties remain sharply curtailed, and the country is still engulfed in armed conflict between the military and a patchwork of resistance forces.

Security was visibly tightened in Yangon ahead of the vote. Armed guards were stationed outside polling places, military trucks patrolled major roads, and election officials installed electronic voting machines, which are being used nationwide for the first time. While opposition groups and armed resistance organizations had previously vowed to disrupt the electoral process, no major incidents were reported during the first phase.

Suu Kyi, now 80, did not take part in the vote. She is serving a combined prison sentence of 27 years after being convicted in a series of cases widely viewed by rights groups and foreign governments as politically motivated. Her party, the National League for Democracy, was dissolved in 2023 after refusing to re-register under new rules imposed by the military authorities.

Several other political parties also declined to participate, arguing that the electoral framework is fundamentally unfair. Opposition organizations have urged voters to boycott the process, contending that any outcome will lack legitimacy. Analysts note that the political landscape has been dramatically reshaped since the last election. In 2020, an estimated 73 percent of voters supported parties that no longer exist or are no longer permitted to operate.

The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is widely expected to dominate the results, reinforcing critics’ claims that the promised transition to civilian rule is largely symbolic. Under the current conditions, they argue, the vote offers little real choice to the electorate and serves primarily to entrench the existing power structure.

Despite these concerns, regional neighbors including China, India and Thailand may view the election as a justification to continue engagement with Myanmar’s rulers, framing the process as a step toward stability. Western governments, by contrast, have maintained sanctions against the junta, citing its seizure of power, the dismantling of democratic institutions and the conduct of a brutal campaign against its opponents.

The vote is taking place against the backdrop of a protracted and violent conflict that erupted after the military used lethal force to suppress peaceful protests following the 2021 coup. Armed resistance has since spread across much of the country. According to the United Nations, more than 3.6 million people have been displaced by the fighting. Monitoring groups say the human cost has been severe, with tens of thousands detained for political reasons and thousands of civilians killed by security forces since the takeover.

New legislation governing the election has further tightened controls on political activity. The recently enacted Election Protection Law imposes harsh penalties for actions deemed to undermine the vote and effectively bars public criticism of the electoral process. International observers say the restrictions have eliminated any space for free expression or peaceful assembly.

The United Nations’ top human rights official has warned that Myanmar is experiencing intensified violence and intimidation, stressing that conditions do not exist for a free and fair election. In this environment, both supporters and opponents of the military broadly agree that real power is likely to remain with Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the commander who led the 2021 seizure of power.

Voting is scheduled to take place in three phases. The second round is set for Jan. 11, followed by a third on Jan. 25, with final results expected later in January. More than 4,800 candidates from 57 parties are contesting seats in national and regional legislatures, but only six parties are competing on a nationwide scale with any realistic prospect of wielding influence in parliament.

As the process unfolds, many Myanmar citizens and international observers remain unconvinced that the ballot will bring the country any closer to peace or democratic rule, viewing it instead as another chapter in a deepening political crisis.