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2d ago

Myanmar Junta Presses Ahead With Staggered Elections in Select Areas

Critics say the exercise lacks legitimacy due to ongoing war.

Myanmar soldiers from the 77th light infantry division walk along a street during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, February 28, 2021. Picture taken February 28, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Kim Aris, the son of Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, delivers a speech during a protest rally organized by Myanmar people residing in Japan denouncing an upcoming election led by the military junta and demanding the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, outside Myanmar's embassy in Tokyo, Japan, December 14, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato
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Overview

  • Voting begins December 28 in the first of three phases, with additional rounds planned for January 11 and January 25.
  • Balloting will take place in only 202 of 330 townships as officials concede they cannot hold a nationwide vote.
  • Most opposition parties are barred or boycotting, Aung San Suu Kyi remains imprisoned, and pro‑democracy activist Ko Ko Gyi’s participation has divided the movement.
  • The United Nations and Western governments call the polls neither free nor fair, ASEAN refused to send observers, and China continues to engage the military leadership.
  • Civil war and repression persist with at least 80,000 killed and millions displaced, and recent airstrikes include the leveling of a 300‑bed hospital in Rakhine State.