Asia28 December, 20252 min read
Myanmar Military Junta Holds Sham Post-Coup Election in Only One-Third of Townships as Civil War Rages
Voting held in 102 of 330 townships, about one-third of the country. Opposition and international observers widely reject the election as a sham.
33 outlets told this the same way.
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Myanmar junta election overview
Myanmar's military junta began a tightly controlled three‑phase general election on Dec. 28, with voting held in about one‑third of the country's townships (102 of 330) and further rounds set for Jan. 11 and Jan. 25.
“Myanmar held the first of three staggered voting rounds on Sunday in 102 of 330 townships (with further rounds on Jan. 11 and Jan. 25), while 65 townships were excluded because of ongoing conflict.”
Authorities cancelled polling in dozens of townships because of ongoing conflict and have not given a full date for aggregated results.
The junta and state media presented the exercise as a return to normal politics.
The ballot features more than 4,800 candidates from dozens of parties but is dominated by pro‑military contenders.
The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is widely seen as the main beneficiary of a vote many international observers say was engineered to entrench military rule.
Post-coup election controversies
The election's credibility is widely contested. Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy were dissolved or barred from contesting. Suu Kyi remains jailed on a combined 27-year sentence.
Many parties that dominated the pre-coup parliament are absent. This has prompted widespread claims that the ballot cannot produce a genuine civilian transition.
Rights groups and U.N. officials warned that the environment is one of violence and repression. Several outlets document mass detentions, civilian deaths and large-scale displacement since the coup, though casualty and displacement figures vary between reports.
Voting conditions and turnout
Voting conditions in many polling places were reported as restrictive and intimidating. New electronic voting machines were used that blocked write-ins and spoiled ballots. Authorities jailed or prosecuted hundreds for criticizing or disrupting the polls under a new Election Protection law.
“Turnout appeared low in some places — one Yangon station saw just 524 of 1,431 registered voters (≈37%) cast ballots, 311 for the USDP — and critics including U.N. rights expert Tom Andrews called voting under a regime that bombs civilians and represses dissent far from democratic.”
Observers reported soldiers or officials pressuring voters. Turnout appeared low in multiple locations, with specific stations reporting only a few hundred or even a few dozen voters in the first hours of polling.
Global reactions to election
International reactions were sharply divided. The junta invited observers from countries including Russia, China and India, and state media touted endorsement by some regional delegations. Western governments, the U.N. and rights groups condemned the election as neither free nor fair and signalled they would not accept the exercise as a legitimate transition.
Some Asian governments and neighbours were described as more willing to engage the junta. Many international actors urged non-recognition and threatened continued sanctions.
Election amid civil war
The election unfolded amid an intensifying civil war that analysts say will shape both immediate results and longer-term stability. Large parts of the country are controlled or contested by ethnic armed organisations and pro-democracy forces. Millions are displaced, and air and drone strikes surged in 2025 according to monitoring groups.
“ACLED recorded 2,602 air and drone strikes in 2025 up to Nov. 28, causing nearly 2,000 deaths (a sharp rise from 363 strikes and 216 deaths in 2022).”
Observers warn that the military-drafted constitution and reserved armed-forces seats mean even a pro-USDP legislature would leave real power with the Tatmadaw. Many analysts expect the ballot to consolidate junta control rather than produce a meaningful return to civilian rule.
