Story perspectives

Myanmar's Elections Under Fire Amid Civil War and Repression

1/25/2026

Summary

Myanmar Elections Contested

Myanmar's election phase began January 25, 2026, with Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) expected to win a landslide amid civil war.
Critics, including United Nations officials, call elections illegitimate due to dissent repression and absence of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
ASEAN declined to certify the vote, further questioning its legitimacy.
Voter turnout is about 55%, as areas are affected by armed conflict and intimidation.

Summary

Junta Claims Legitimacy

Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's junta leader, says the vote is free and fair, a return to democracy after the coup.
The United Nations (UN) and human rights experts reject its legitimacy due to lack of anti-military representation.
A military airstrike in Kachin state killed 21 people, underscoring ongoing violence.
A new election protection law threatens critics with severe penalties.
Analysts predict the Union Solidarity and Development Party will win decisively despite 92,000 fatalities.

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Myanmar Elections Contested

Myanmar's election phase began January 25, 2026, with Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) expected to win a landslide amid civil war.
Critics, including United Nations officials, call elections illegitimate due to dissent repression and absence of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
ASEAN declined to certify the vote, further questioning its legitimacy.
Voter turnout is about 55%, as areas are affected by armed conflict and intimidation.

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