Myanmar Junta Holds Elections as Civil War Continues Five Years After Coup
Yangon, Myanmar — Myanmar’s military junta went ahead with long-delayed elections on Sunday, launching a highly controversial vote nearly five years after seizing power in a 2021 coup that plunged the country into a brutal civil war.
The generals say the polls are a step toward restoring democratic rule, but critics and rights groups argue the election is designed to entrench military control rather than reflect the will of the people.
Voting opened amid heavy security and strict new laws criminalising criticism or disruption of the process. Hundreds have been arrested under these measures, while large parts of the country — particularly conflict-hit border regions and central areas — are excluded from voting due to ongoing fighting between the military and ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces.
Myanmar’s most popular leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, remains imprisoned and is serving a 27-year sentence after convictions widely condemned as politically motivated. Her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide victory in the last election, has been dissolved, leaving the ballot dominated by parties aligned with or seen as sympathetic to the military.
Analysts say recent battlefield gains by junta forces — bolstered by mass conscription and new Chinese-supplied weapons — have given the generals confidence to press ahead with the vote. Under the military-drafted system, 25% of parliamentary seats will be reserved for the armed forces, ensuring continued influence regardless of the outcome.
“This election is a cynical exercise to perpetuate military power,” said Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group, warning the international community against legitimising the process.
In Yangon, national flags lined major roads and state media promoted the vote, which will take place in phases through January. Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing publicly urged voters to support candidates willing to cooperate with the military.
The election unfolds against the backdrop of a deepening humanitarian crisis. The United Nations and rights groups have documented widespread abuses since the coup, including attacks on civilians, destruction of villages, arbitrary detentions, and forced conscription. Aid access has also been severely restricted, according to UN officials.
UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews described the situation as “nothing short of a fraud,” saying free and fair elections are impossible under conditions of repression, arrests, and violence.
The junta has rejected international criticism, insisting the election is conducted “for the people of Myanmar” and not for foreign approval.
As fighting continues across the country, many observers say the vote is unlikely to bring peace or legitimacy — and instead underscores the deep political and humanitarian crisis gripping Myanmar.
