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6h ago

Myanmar Junta Reports 52% Turnout in First Phase of Staggered Election

Rights groups together with the UN denounce the process as a sham held under violence plus repression.

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Myanmar's military has said turnout in the first phase of the country's junta-run elections exceeded 50 percent of eligible voters

Overview

  • The military said more than six million people voted, putting turnout at 52 percent, well below roughly 70 percent reported in 2020.
  • The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party claimed an overwhelming win, with a senior official suggesting it secured over 80 percent of contested lower-house seats.
  • International rights advocates and Western diplomats rejected the credibility of the vote, citing a crackdown on dissent and the exclusion of critical parties.
  • The first round covered about a third of Myanmar’s 330 townships, with further voting scheduled for January 11 and January 25 in areas the military does not fully control.
  • Aung San Suu Kyi remains in detention and the National League for Democracy has been dissolved since the 2021 coup, limiting meaningful opposition participation.