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2d ago

Myanmar Sets Dec. 28 Start for Phased Election During Civil War

Critics call the plan a bid to cement military rule.

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FILE - A voter casts ballot at a polling station on Nov. 8, 2020, in Yangon, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw, File)
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Myanmar's junta has touted elections as a way to end the civil war and offered cash rewards to opposition fighters willing to lay down their arms ahead of the vote

Overview

  • The Union Election Commission set Dec. 28, 2025 for the first phase, with further phases to be announced and state media indicating voting will span December and January for security reasons.
  • Large areas remain outside military control, with ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces pledging to block polling, and a 2024 census missed about 19 million people due to security constraints.
  • The military enacted new electoral laws imposing harsh penalties for opposing or disrupting the vote, including long prison terms and, according to AP, the death penalty.
  • Nearly 60 parties have registered, including the military-backed USDP, while Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD is dissolved and she remains imprisoned on 27-year sentences.
  • Analysts and a U.N. expert say the process lacks credibility and is likely to entrench Min Aung Hlaing’s hold on power.