Myanmar Junta Announces Controversial Elections Amid Ongoing Conflict

YANGON: Myanmar's military junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, confirmed on June 26, 2025, that the country plans to conduct elections in December 2025 and January 2026. This announcement follows the military's ousting of the civilian government in February 2021, which ignited a prolonged civil war and widespread unrest. The junta's election plans have been met with skepticism from international observers and human rights advocates, who characterize the forthcoming polls as a mere facade aimed at legitimizing the military's grip on power.

The military regime has promoted these elections as part of a broader strategy to restore peace in Myanmar, despite significant opposition to the process. According to the junta, these elections will provide a pathway to a civilian government. However, members of the deposed National League for Democracy (NLD) party, as well as various ethnic armed groups, are expected to boycott the elections, undermining the legitimacy of the process. The NLD, which won a landslide victory in the 2020 elections, has had its leaders imprisoned or exiled since the coup.

In a statement reported by the state-run newspaper, The Global New Light of Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing asserted, "We are currently making the necessary preparations to hold the elections as widely and extensively as possible. Most importantly, the elections must be free and fair." However, observers, including Tom Andrews, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the rights situation in Myanmar, have criticized the junta's claim as unrealistic. Andrews stated, "You cannot have an election when you imprison and torture and execute your opponents, when it is illegal to report the truth as a journalist, when it is illegal to speak out and criticize the junta."

The international community has expressed deep concerns regarding the electoral process. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have condemned the junta's plans, emphasizing that the conditions required for a fair election do not exist in Myanmar. A recent report from the International Crisis Group highlights that the ongoing civil conflict has resulted in significant territorial losses for the junta, complicating any efforts to hold elections across the country. As of 2022, an estimated 19 million of Myanmar's 51 million population were unaccounted for in a government census, primarily due to security issues exacerbated by the civil war.

Despite these challenges, the junta appears determined to proceed with its election timetable. Analysts suggest that military support from allies such as China and Russia has bolstered the junta's resolve, allowing it to maintain control over significant portions of territory, albeit at the cost of broader legitimacy. The junta's ability to conduct elections in regions controlled by anti-junta forces remains highly questionable.

In summary, while the junta's announcement of elections may be framed as a step towards restoring civilian governance, significant obstacles and a lack of credible conditions for a fair electoral process raise serious doubts about the legitimacy of any outcomes. The upcoming elections are likely to be overshadowed by ongoing violence and resistance from various factions within the country, as the struggle for democracy in Myanmar continues amidst a backdrop of repression and conflict.