Myanmar junta controls only half the country as it holds first post-Suu Kyi election on Sunday

Myanmar is heading into a general election later this month, but the vote is far from what most people think of as a full, free and fair democratic process. The country’s military rulers are holding nationwide polls even though they control only parts of the country, with scores of constituencies left out and many voters effectively shut out because of ongoing conflict and suppression.

It’s the first election since the military took power in a coup in 2021, ousting the government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and triggering a brutal civil war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.

A vote but not across all of Myanmar

The military junta has scheduled the election in phases starting December 28, followed by more rounds in January, even though it does not control large swaths of the country.

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Many townships in conflict zones are excluded entirely, meaning millions of people won’t be voting where they live.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing himself has acknowledged that “we can’t hold the election everywhere 100%,” admitting what critics have long said—that the vote is inherently limited and incomplete.

Opposition parties are locked out

Major democratic forces are absent from the ballot.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), once dominant in national politics, was dissolved after refusing to comply with the military’s registration demands. Numerous ethnic and pro-democracy parties have also been barred, leaving only military-aligned or tightly vetted candidates in the race.

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That has left the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) positioned as the likely frontrunner, especially in areas where the junta still holds control.

As the polls near, the military government has charged hundreds of activists and opponents under strict election laws, including harsh penalties like long prison terms and even the death penalty for alleged disruption of the vote, as reported by the Associated Press.

This election is taking place amid an ongoing civil war that began after the 2021 coup. Armed resistance and ethnic armed groups control large territories, making it impossible for the junta to administer voting nationwide or guarantee safety.

International reaction is mixed—but mostly negative

Most Western governments, the United Nations and human rights groups have slammed the election as a sham designed to legitimise military rule. In contrast, some countries, including China, Russia and India, have expressed support or urged engagement, according to Reuters.

Despite the junta’s insistence that the vote is for the people of Myanmar—not the world—critics argue the election does little to restore democracy and may solidify military control instead of ending years of turmoil.