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Displaced Voters Reject Sham Election Amid Low Turnout

1/13/2026

42 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The military government says Hpapun will participate in the second voting phase on January 15, despite being a ghost town.
In the first phase, Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has secured 89 of 102 lower seats.
Local reports indicate turnout in urban Yangon is as low as 35% while military-backed parties dominate.
About 3.5 million displaced voters cannot or will not participate, viewing the election as a sham.

History

Historical Context

Myanmar's political turmoil traces back to the 1988 uprising against Ne Win's regime, leading to a military coup and the 1990 elections, where the National League for Democracy (NLD) won but was denied power. The controversial 2010 elections saw the military-backed USDP claim victory amid allegations of fraud. Today, ongoing voter suppression and displacement of 3.5 million raise doubts about the legitimacy of Myanmar's governance.

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Story summary

The military government says Hpapun will participate in the second voting phase on January 15, despite being a ghost town.
In the first phase, Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has secured 89 of 102 lower seats.
Local reports indicate turnout in urban Yangon is as low as 35% while military-backed parties dominate.
About 3.5 million displaced voters cannot or will not participate, viewing the election as a sham.

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