Voting concluded on Sunday in Myanmar’s month-long election, with the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) poised for a decisive victory under military rule, critics argue that this will merely consolidate the junta’s hold over power. Historically, Myanmar has experienced prolonged periods of military governance, though there was a decade of civilian-led reforms following democratic figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention in 2021, which preceded a subsequent military coup. This coup triggered civil war and plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis.
The third and final phase of voting concluded just under a week before the five-year anniversary of the coup. Military leaders have pledged that the election will restore governance to the people but face skepticism from democracy advocates, who contend that the ballot remains skewed in favor of military allies. The head of the junta, Min Aung Hlaing, has indicated his intention to run for president, wearing civilian attire during a visit to polling stations in Mandalay. He stated, “This is the path chosen by the people; they can support whoever they wish.”
Voting was not conducted in rebel-held regions and areas under military control, where human rights monitors have noted instances of coercion and suppression of dissent. Zaw Ko Ko Myint, a 53-year-old teacher who participated in voting at a high school in Mandalay early in the morning, expressed optimism: “Although I don’t expect much change, we hope for a better country.” He added that his participation was fulfilling his civic duty.
In phases one and two of the election, the USDP won over 85 percent of seats in both the lower house and upper house. Analysts describe this party as a puppet of military leaders, with its membership primarily comprising retired officers.