The first of three phases of voting concluded in Myanmar today, marking the country’s first election in five years since the military overthrew the government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. The military junta claims that the election will pave the way for a return to democracy.

 

However, opposition groups and human rights organisations have dismissed the vote, describing it as an attempt to legitimise continued military rule.

 

Myanmar’s most popular leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains imprisoned, while her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has been dissolved, leaving the electoral process dominated by junta-aligned parties.

 

The United States and most Western countries do not recognise the junta as Myanmar’s legitimate government. Several Asian nations, including Japan and Malaysia, have also criticised the election.