Myanmar’s junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing announced elections are set for December 2025 or January 2026, the first since the 2021 coup. He claimed the elections would be free and fair, despite widespread skepticism and ongoing violence in the country. The political climate is tense, with international observers labeling any potential elections under the junta as a “sham.”
The military junta of Myanmar, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, has announced the intention to conduct elections in December 2025 or January 2026. This marked the first electoral process since the 2021 coup. According to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, General Hlaing stated that the elections will be “free and fair” and that 53 political parties have submitted their participatory lists. Furthermore, he expressed a desire for Belarusian observation teams to oversee the electoral process.
Following the coup in 2021, which was justified by unfounded accusations of electoral fraud during the 2020 elections that were won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), the junta has employed violent measures to quell dissent. The military’s ongoing struggle against various resistance factions has escalated violence across the nation, leading to repeated postponements of elections that critics assert will lack credibility.
In 2022, the election commission announced the disbanding of the NLD for purportedly failing to comply with re-registration demands stipulated by a new electoral law. Junta Foreign Minister Than Swe claimed progress towards achieving elections was occurring as late as December, emphasizing the junta’s intention to hold polls in line with their timeline. However, due to a prolonged state of emergency, initial election plans faced significant delays.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers recently advised the junta to focus on attaining ceasefires rather than pursuing new elections, highlighting the precarious state of conflict in Myanmar. General Hlaing remarked on the necessity for “peace and stability” prior to the election process. Several international bodies, including United States officials and electoral experts, have openly criticized the junta’s electoral plans as illegitimate, indicating that any elections would be considered a “sham.” The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reports that over 6,300 civilians have died since the coup and over 28,000 have been detained, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis affecting millions throughout the country.
In conclusion, Myanmar’s military junta plans to hold elections in December 2025 or January 2026, despite international skepticism regarding their legitimacy. The backdrop of ongoing conflict, political repression, and humanitarian crises complicates the situation further, as many organizations anticipate further bloodshed if elections proceed under the current regime. Continued global scrutiny may be necessary as the political landscape in Myanmar evolves.
Original Source: www.gjsentinel.com
