After nearly five years of continuous civil war and political turmoil, Myanmar has begun a general election process that its ruling military government presents as a return to democratic governance.
The first phase of voting was held on December 28, 2025, marking the country’s first major electoral exercise since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021.
Despite the symbolic significance of ballots being cast once again, deep questions remain about whether this election reflects the will of the people or instead serves to entrench military control in a nation torn apart by conflict and repression.
Background: A Coup Turned into a Civil War
The February 2021 coup upended Myanmar’s fragile democratic progress when the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).
The military justified its takeover by alleging fraud in the 2020 election, although independent observers found no evidence that would have changed the outcome of the vote.
The coup triggered widespread protests that were met with brutal crackdowns, ultimately escalating into armed resistance.
Various ethnic armed organizations and newly formed People’s Defence Force units took up arms against the junta, leading to a sprawling civil war that continues to claim lives and displace millions.
Over the ensuing years, the conflict expanded across much of the country. Battles between resistance groups and the military have been fierce, with significant violence affecting civilians.
Major operations and clashes have occurred in regions like Sagaing and Rakhine, where intense confrontations and air strikes have caused both casualties and displacement.
These ongoing hostilities have made it difficult to secure nationwide stability, a challenge that now complicates the election itself.
How the Election Is Being Held
Myanmar’s election is taking place in three phases. The first round occurred on December 28, 2025, with subsequent rounds scheduled for January 11 and January 25, 2026. Due to the intensity of the civil war, voting cannot be held in all constituencies.
The most recent figures show that out of 330 townships, only a portion will be part of the electoral process because many areas are either in active conflict or outside military control.
The military-led Union Election Commission has registered dozens of parties to compete, but most are small or closely aligned with the junta.
The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), a party previously associated with military rule before democratic reforms, is widely expected to secure many seats.
The 2008 military-drafted constitution further ensures that a quarter of all parliamentary seats are reserved for appointed military officers, guaranteeing the armed forces a dominant role regardless of popular vote outcomes.
Doubt and Criticism
Despite the formal return to electoral politics, many observers and critics view the process with deep skepticism. Human rights groups, international observers, and opposition figures argue that the conditions under which the election is being held fall far short of being free or fair.
Key opposition parties, including the NLD and its prominent leader Aung San Suu Kyi, are barred from participation; Suu Kyi remains imprisoned on charges widely seen as politically motivated.
Several other parties have been dissolved, and new restrictive laws criminalize criticism of the electoral process, with harsh penalties for those who speak against it.
