In Myanmar, the first general election vote has begun, four years and ten months after the military regime seized power through a coup.
On December 28 (local time), the first round of voting for the general election began simultaneously in 102 out of Myanmar's 330 townships (administrative districts). In various locations, including Yangon, the country's largest city, and the capital Naypyidaw, voters cast their ballots at polling stations set up in schools, government offices, and religious facilities.
Following this first round of voting, the second and third rounds are scheduled to be held in 100 townships on January 11 and in 63 townships on January 25 next year. As Myanmar remains embroiled in a civil war following the military coup, voting is currently not scheduled in the remaining 65 townships, which are under the control of rebel forces and others.
Of the 224 seats in the upper house, 168 will be elected in this election, and of the 440 seats in the lower house, 330 will be filled. The remaining 166 seats-25% of each chamber-will be allocated to active-duty military personnel appointed by the Commander-in-Chief. After the general election, the president will be chosen through an indirect parliamentary vote within 60 days. The upper house, lower house, and military-appointed lawmakers each select a vice president from among themselves, and the full parliament then elects the president from these three vice presidents. However, the dates for ballot counting and the announcement of results have not yet been made public.
A total of 4,963 candidates have registered for this general election, with six parties competing nationwide. Of these, 1,018 candidates-more than 20% of all candidates-are from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which is backed by the military regime. As a result, there are widespread expectations that the USDP will win a landslide victory and that Commander Min Aung Hlaing is likely to become president.
In contrast, the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, won more than 80% of the contested seats in the 2020 general election. However, the party was dissolved following the military coup in February 2021. Suu Kyi is currently serving a 27-year sentence on charges including corruption, with all contact with the outside world, including family visits, strictly cut off. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, there are about 22,000 political prisoners currently detained under the military regime, including Suu Kyi. Around 40 parties, including the NLD, that were dissolved under the military regime were unable to field candidates in this general election. According to analysis by the Asian Network for Free Elections, these dissolved parties accounted for a combined 73% of the vote in the 2020 general election.
The military regime has restricted the spread of information by blocking all social media platforms, including Facebook, and recently enacted a law imposing prison sentences of up to 10 years for criticizing the election, under which about 200 people have been prosecuted. The regime also invited international election observers, but so far, the only country to respond is Belarus, where dictator Alexander Lukashenko has held power for 31 years. As a result, the international community views this election as nothing more than a show to legitimize military rule. On December 24, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a statement noting that, as no representative democratic opposition parties are participating in this general election, "violence, repression, and intimidation are intensifying."
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