Myanmar has begun voting in a national election widely criticised as illegitimate, with major political parties dissolved, many of their leaders jailed, and large parts of the country unable to participate due to ongoing civil conflict.
The phased vote comes nearly five years after the military seized power in a coup, triggering mass opposition that evolved into a nationwide civil war. Analysts say the junta, backed by China, is seeking to legitimise and consolidate its rule as it attempts to break a prolonged political stalemate.
Authorities have charged more than 200 people under a new law targeting those accused of disrupting or opposing the polls. The legislation carries harsh penalties, including the death sentence.
Polling opened on Sunday amid reports of explosions in at least two regions. In Mandalay, three people were taken to hospital after a rocket strike on an uninhabited house in the early hours of the morning.
In Myawaddy township, near the Thai border, more than ten houses were damaged in blasts late on Saturday. A local resident told the BBC that a child was killed in the attack and three others were taken to hospital in an emergency condition.
Despite the unrest, some voters said this year’s process appears more “disciplined and systematic” than previous elections.
“The experience of voting has changed a lot,” said Ma Su ZarChi, who lives in the Mandalay region.
“Before I voted, I was afraid. Now that I have voted, I feel relieved. I cast my ballot as someone who has tried their best for the country.”
First-time voter Ei Pyay Phyo Maung, 22, said she participated because she believes voting is “the responsibility of every citizen”.
“My hope is for the lower classes – right now, the prices of goods are skyrocketing, and I want to support someone who can bring them down for those struggling the most,” she said.
“I want a president who provides equally for all people.”
The junta has rejected criticism of the election, insisting that its objective is to “return [the country] to a multi-party democratic system”.
After casting his ballot at a heavily fortified polling station in the capital, military leader Min Aung Hlaing told the BBC that the election would be free and fair.
“I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, a civil servant. I can’t just say that I want to be president,” he said, stressing that there are three phases of the election.
Earlier this week, he warned that refusing to vote amounted to rejecting “progress toward democracy”.
Several high-profile public figures — including film director Mike Tee, actor Kyaw Win Htut and comedian Ohn Daing — were convicted under the law against disrupting polls, introduced in July. State media reported that each received a seven-year prison sentence after criticising a film promoting the elections.
“There are no conditions for the exercise of the rights of freedom of expression, association or peaceful assembly,” the United Nations’ top human rights official Volker Türk said.
Civilians are “being coerced from all sides”, Mr Türk added, noting that armed rebel groups have also issued threats urging people to boycott the vote.
The military continues to fight across multiple fronts — against anti-coup resistance groups and ethnic armed organisations with their own forces. Although it lost control of significant areas last year, it has since retaken territory through sustained airstrikes supported by China and Russia.
The conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, devastated the economy and created a severe humanitarian crisis. A major earthquake in March, combined with cuts to international aid, has deepened the crisis further.
Logistical challenges remain substantial, as large parts of the country are still outside junta control.
Voting is scheduled to unfold in three phases over the next month in 265 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, with the remainder deemed too insecure. Results are expected toward the end of January.
No voting is expected in as much as half of the country, and even in participating townships some constituencies will not go to the polls, making turnout projections uncertain.
Six parties — including the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party — are fielding candidates nationwide, while 51 others and several independents are contesting seats at state or regional level.
Around 40 parties have been banned, among them Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, which won landslide victories in 2015 and 2020. Suu Kyi and senior party leaders remain imprisoned on charges widely seen as politically motivated, while others are in exile.
“By splitting the vote into phases, the authorities can adjust tactics if the results in the first phase do not go their way,” Htin Kyaw Aye, a spokesman for the election-monitoring group Spring Sprouts, told Myanmar Now.
Some residents say they oppose the vote entirely. Ral Uk Thang, from Chin state, said civilians “don’t want the election”.
“The military does not know how to govern our country. They only work for the benefit of their high-ranking leaders.”
“When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s party was in power, we experienced a bit of democracy. But now all we do is cry and shed tears,” the 80-year-old told the BBC.
Western governments — including the United Kingdom and the European Parliament — have dismissed the election as a sham, while regional bloc Asean has called for political dialogue to take place before any vote.
