Myanmar to Hold First Election Phase on 28 December

A picture shows a general view of a colonial building located at the corner of Pansodan road and Maha Bandula road in Yangon, Myanmar, 25 November 2019.

Myanmar will hold the first phase of its general election on 28 December, marking the country’s first polls in nearly five years, state television reported on Monday. The Union Election Commission said dates for subsequent phases, planned over December and January for security reasons, will be announced later.

The country has been plagued by violence since the 2021 military coup that ousted the civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The ruling generals, led by military chief Min Aung Hlaing, continue to face resistance from armed groups.

A total of 55 political parties have registered for the elections, with nine planning to compete nationwide. Six additional parties are under review for approval and registration.

However, many anti-junta opposition groups have been barred from running or have refused to participate, leading Western governments to dismiss the polls as a move to consolidate military power. The elections are widely expected to be dominated by military-backed parties.

The interim administration announced that voting will take place in over 300 constituencies nationwide, including areas currently controlled by armed opposition groups. Last year, the military-backed authorities conducted a nationwide census to create voter rolls but managed on-ground surveys in only 145 of 330 townships.

The military justified its February 2021 coup as necessary due to alleged election fraud in the poll won decisively by Suu Kyi’s now-defunct party, although election monitors found no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the outcome.