Overview
- Polling began Sunday in 102 townships in the first nationwide vote since the 2021 coup, with muted campaigning and sparse lines reported in major cities.
- The National League for Democracy is barred and Aung San Suu Kyi remains imprisoned, leaving the military-aligned USDP widely expected to dominate.
- Large swathes of conflict areas are excluded from voting, with authorities conceding that nearly one in five lower house constituencies will not hold polls.
- New electronic voting machines are in use without write-in options or spoiled ballots, while an Election Protection Law criminalizes criticism and has triggered more than 200 prosecutions.
- Two further rounds are scheduled for January 11 and January 25, the junta leader signaled same-day preliminary tallies for the first phase, and no date has been set for final results.