Overview
- The military is staging the first general election since seizing power in 2021, with polling starting on December 28.
- Large swaths of the country cannot vote because of ongoing conflict, raising doubts about fairness and national coverage.
- The junta has detained Aung San Suu Kyi and dissolved her National League for Democracy, excluding major democratic forces from the race.
- The National Unity Government rejects the process as a show election lacking legitimacy, according to its spokesperson.
- Centrist reformers such as People’s Party leader Ko Ko Gyi frame participation as a pragmatic step, while military-aligned parties are widely expected to dominate.