Myanmar recently held the first phase of its general elections, a significant event marking the first vote since the military coup in 2021. Polling stations across the country saw activity, with international observers from various nations, including Russia, China, and India, monitoring the process. More phases of voting are scheduled to take place later in January.
These elections follow a tumultuous period for Myanmar. In 2021, the military, known as the Tatmadaw, seized power, overthrowing the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD). The NLD, along with many other political parties, was subsequently dissolved in 2023.
Despite the ban on many established parties, at least six parties with thousands of candidates are participating. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is a major contender. Following his own vote, junta leader and acting President Min Aung Hlaing declared the elections “free and fair,” asserting the military’s integrity. However, he remained vague about his own presidential ambitions post-election, stating a constitutional process for electing a president would follow.
Myanmar operates with a bicameral parliament, which will eventually convene to select speakers and elect a president. Yet, the nation has been gripped by widespread internal conflict since the coup, leading to thousands of deaths and millions displaced. The legitimacy of these elections is heavily debated, with the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar urging the international community to reject what he called a “theatre of the absurd ‘election’” and a “farcical, illegitimate exercise.” The junta has yet to announce the vote count or results.
This election serves as a critical, albeit contentious, moment for a nation grappling with its future amidst ongoing political instability and humanitarian crisis.
Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/myanmar-junta-holds-1st-elections-since-2021-coup/3782869
