Polling stations in Myanmar opened today for the first time since the 2021 military coup, in elections that the United Nations, human rights groups, and opposition parties say are neither free nor fair nor credible.
The heavily restricted elections are being held in only about one-third of the country’s 330 townships, while voting has been completely canceled in 65 townships. Widespread fighting between the military and opposition forces has deprived large parts of Myanmar of the opportunity to participate in the vote.
According to the announced plan, voting will take place in three phases. The first phase was held on Sunday, with the next two phases scheduled for January 11 and January 25. However, the timeline for vote counting and the announcement of results has not yet been specified.
Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, cast his ballot in the capital after voting began, with the army describing the election as an opportunity for a “new beginning” in the country’s political and economic landscape.
Critics, however, argue that the exclusion of anti-military parties, the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the dissolution of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), have rendered the election illegitimate.
Myanmar’s civil war, which began after the 2021 coup, has so far left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. Observers say that holding elections under such conditions will not resolve the country’s political crisis but may instead deepen it.
