YANGON – Myanmar opened polling stations on Sunday for general elections, the first since the 2021 military coup that ousted the National League for Democracy, amid ongoing civil war and unrest.
The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is expected to secure victory, fielding one-fifth of all candidates while opposition parties remain sidelined or dissolved, raising doubts about the credibility of the polls.
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Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi remains in detention, and her party, the NLD, which won the 2020 elections by a landslide, has been banned from participating in the vote.
Critics, including the United Nations and human rights groups, argue that the elections are neither free nor fair, as violence, restricted freedoms, and military control hinder meaningful participation by citizens across Myanmar.
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The junta maintains that the elections offer a chance for a fresh start politically and economically, citing previous military-backed polls as steps toward governance reforms and national stability despite ongoing conflict.
Voting will continue in two more phases on January 11 and 25, covering 265 of 330 townships, though military control remains incomplete in many areas, and international recognition of the outcome is expected to be limited.