Min Aung Hlaing , wiki

 

Myanmar’s military leader has publicly conceded that the country’s upcoming general election cannot be held nationwide, as civil war continues to engulf large swathes of the country. The admission marks a rare moment of candour from junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, whose regime seized power in a 2021 coup and has faced armed resistance ever since.

 

Speaking on state television from Naypyitaw, Min Aung Hlaing said, “We can’t hold the election everywhere 100 per cent,” adding that by-elections would follow in areas currently inaccessible. The polls, set to begin on 28 December and run into January, are the first since the coup and have been widely condemned by critics and Western governments as a façade to legitimise military rule.

 

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted the elected civilian government, sparking a nationwide rebellion that has wrested control of territory from the junta. A December census revealed that voter lists could only be compiled in 145 of the country’s 330 townships, underscoring the scale of disruption.

 

The junta’s electoral framework has also drawn criticism for its exclusivity. Parties must have at least 50,000 members and hold funds of 100 million kyat (around US$47,700), leaving just six parties eligible to contest nationwide. Many opposition groups have been banned or are boycotting the vote.

 

Min Aung Hlaing’s comments come days after meeting Malaysia’s foreign minister and ahead of an ASEAN summit, where the bloc is expected to discuss the junta’s invitation to send election observers. Malaysia currently chairs the ten-member group, which includes Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

 

While the junta presses ahead with its electoral plans, the reality on the ground suggests a deeply fractured nation, where large regions remain beyond its control and democratic legitimacy remains elusive.

 

-2025-10-16

On 10/16/2025 at 9:56 AM, geovalin said:

upcoming general election cannot be held nationwide,

 

So Polling Stations will only be established in Tatmadaw Military Camps allowing the Junta to win the General Election?