Overview

• Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's junta leader, reiterated plans to hold elections by early 2026 during a speech at the annual Armed Forces Day parade in Naypyidaw.
• The military claims preparations are underway for a 'free and fair' election, promising to transfer power to the winning party, though critics denounce the vote as a sham to legitimize military rule.
• The junta has lost control of significant territory, including Lashio and parts of Rakhine State, and now controls less than half the country, raising doubts about the feasibility of the election.
• Over 3.5 million people have been displaced by the ongoing civil war, with worsening humanitarian conditions and widespread food insecurity affecting half the population.
• ASEAN and international observers have urged the junta to prioritize peace and dialogue over elections, warning that the planned vote could exacerbate violence and instability.