Myanmar's military-backed political party has secured an early lead following the first phase of a highly contentious general election, the first vote to be held since the armed forces seized power in a 2021 coup.
Early Results Show Commanding Lead for Junta's Party
Partial results released by the state-controlled Union Election Commission (UEC) for 56 constituencies show the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), led by retired generals, winning by a significant margin. The junta has stated that voter turnout for this initial phase stood at 52% of eligible voters.
Analysts and observers have been quick to note that this reported participation rate is markedly lower than in previous democratic votes. It falls short of the approximate 70% turnout seen in both the 2015 and 2020 general elections, according to data from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
A Diminished Political Field and International Condemnation
The electoral landscape has been drastically altered since the military takeover. The National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide victory in 2020, has been dissolved. Its leader, Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, remains in detention.
With most pro-democracy and anti-junta parties barred from participating, the field consists largely of competitors handpicked by the military authorities. It is also illegal to publicly criticise the polls.
The published results show the USDP winning 38 of 40 seats in the lower house, or Pyithu Hluttaw, where counting is complete. The party also secured 14 of 15 regional or State Hluttaw seats tallied so far. Minor parties like the Shan Nationalities Democratic party and the Mon Unity party each gained a single lower house seat.
A Long Road Ahead and Broad Skepticism
The election process is scheduled to continue with two further rounds of voting on 11 January and 25 January. These will cover 265 of Myanmar's 330 townships, including many areas where the junta does not maintain full control due to a widespread armed rebellion.
The United Nations, several Western nations, and human rights groups have condemned the election as a sham, arguing it lacks legitimacy and credibility. The ruling junta, however, insists the three-phase vote will bring political stability to the conflict-ridden and impoverished nation.
No date has been set for the announcement of the final result. Political analysts suggest that any military-controlled administration emerging from this process will struggle to gain broad international recognition, viewing it as a civilian veneer for continued junta rule.
