Myanmar's military plans election amidst escalating conflict
- Myanmar's military government, under Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, plans to hold a general election within ten months, likely by January 2026.
- The military is facing increasing challenges and armed resistance from pro-democracy groups and ethnic militias, further complicating the election logistics.
- Critics argue that the election will lack fairness, given the oppressive conditions and the imprisonment of opposition leaders.
Myanmar has faced significant turmoil since the military coup that took place in February 2021. This upheaval resulted in the overthrow of the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. In the wake of the coup, armed resistance has surged, with pro-democracy fighters and ethnic militias challenging military control across the nation. As of March 2025, the head of the military government, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has announced intentions to conduct a general election within ten months, targeted for December 2025 or January 2026. However, the exact election dates remain unspecified. The announcement was made during a press conference while Min Aung Hlaing was on an official visit to Belarus, which is one of the few allies of Myanmar’s military government. In his statement, he noted that 53 political parties have submitted lists to participate in the upcoming elections. Despite this preparation, the logistics of holding a credible election amidst ongoing civil conflict poses a significant challenge. The military government is seen as losing control, especially given that it allegedly commands less than half of Myanmar’s territory, with many areas significantly influenced by armed opposition forces. Months prior to this announcement, the military had attempted to conduct a census to establish a voter list; however, this effort was largely unsuccessful, as they could only gather data from 145 out of 330 townships. These townships included several areas controlled by various ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy guerillas, rendering many locations inaccessible for the planned voter registration. Critics highlight that the military's move toward an election is primarily a strategy to legitimize their governance through the electoral process, significantly undermined by the absence of free media and ongoing political repression. Most leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party remain imprisoned, raising doubts about the election's fairness. The National Unity Government of Myanmar, a shadow government formed by ousted lawmakers and other political activists, has publicly denounced the military’s election plans, affirming their determination to prevent the elections through nonviolence. This context makes the potential for a genuinely free and fair electoral process in Myanmar exceedingly uncertain.