Amid civil war, elections open in Myanmar for first time since military coup 5 years ago

Voters went to the polls on Sunday for the initial phase of Myanmar’s first general election in five years, held under the supervision of its military government as a civil war rages across much of the country.

Critics accuse the election of being designed to add a façade of legitimacy to military rule, which began after the military overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. Her party won a landslide victory in the 2020 elections but was blocked from coming to power for a second term.

In Yangon, the country’s largest city, Naypyitaw, the capital, and elsewhere, voters cast ballots at high schools, government buildings and religious edifices.

Critics say the results will lack legitimacy due to the exclusion of major parties, limits on freedom of expression and a climate of repression.

They say the expected victory of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party makes the nominal transition to civilian rule a pipe dream.

However, holding the elections could provide a pretext for neighbors like China, India and Thailand to maintain their support, saying elections promote stability. Western countries have maintained sanctions against Myanmar’s ruling generals over their anti-democratic actions and brutal war against their opponents.

Security in Yangon was visibly tightened on Saturday, with armed guards stationed outside polling stations and military trucks patrolling the roads. Election officials installed equipment and electronic voting machines, which are being used for the first time in Myanmar.

Although opposition organizations and armed resistance groups pledged to disrupt the electoral process, no major action was taken.

Suu Kyi, the 80-year-old former leader of Myanmar, is not participating because she is serving a 27-year prison sentence on charges widely seen as politically motivated. His party, the National League for Democracy, was disbanded in 2023 after refusing to register under new military rules.

Other parties have also refused to register or run under conditions they consider unfair, and opposition groups have called for a voter boycott.

Amael Vier, an analyst with the Asian Network for Free Elections, highlighted the lack of real choice, pointing out that in 2020, 73% of voters voted for parties that no longer exist.

Mobilizing the opposition is difficult under military repression. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 22,000 people are currently detained for political offenses, and more than 7,600 civilians have been killed by security forces since they took power in 2021.

Armed resistance emerged after the military used lethal force to crush nonviolent protests against its takeover in 2021. The ensuing civil war has displaced more than 3.6 million people, according to the UN.

A new election protection law added harsh penalties and restrictions, effectively banning public criticism of the election.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said Myanmar was witnessing intensifying violence and intimidation, stressing that there were no conditions for the exercise of freedom of expression or peaceful assembly.

Under these circumstances, the military and its opponents believe that power will likely remain in the hands of General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the 2021 takeover.

Voting is taking place in three phases, with the first round on Sunday taking place in 102 of Myanmar’s 330 townships. The second phase will take place on January 11 and the third on January 25. The final results should be announced at the end of January.

While more than 4,800 candidates from 57 parties are competing for seats in national and regional legislatures, only six are competing nationally with the chance to gain political influence in Parliament.