Myanmar’s military junta has announced that the second phase of its multi-stage general election will be held on January 11, following the first phase on December 28, according to state media. The elections, covering about 100 townships including parts of Yangon, have been widely condemned by the UN, Western nations, and human rights groups as illegitimate.
The polls come amid ongoing political turmoil following the 2021 military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. Many pro-democracy parties have been banned or are boycotting the vote, and junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has admitted the elections will not be nationwide.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said “nobody believes” the elections will be free or fair, while the ASEAN bloc acknowledged it cannot prevent the vote but urged for an inclusive process.
Myanmar’s junta has struggled to assert control, facing armed resistance from ethnic militias and pro-democracy forces that now control large areas of the country. A recent census indicated the military could only compile voter lists in 145 out of 330 townships, highlighting the regime’s limited reach.
Meanwhile, Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and nearly 40 other parties were dissolved in 2023 for failing to register under new junta rules.
