Myanmar Junta Sets End January Date for Final Election Round

The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s military regime has announced that the third and final stage of its tightly controlled elections will take place on 25 January, just weeks after the first ballots are cast. The move underscores the junta’s determination to press ahead with a vote widely condemned as a façade for continued military rule.

The Union Election Commission, stacked with junta loyalists, confirmed the final round will be held in 63 of the country’s 330 townships. The first ballots are due on 28 December, followed by a second round on 11 January.

Democracy watchdogs have dismissed the process as a charade designed to rebrand the military’s grip on power. The armed forces seized control in a 2021 coup, plunging the country into civil war and leaving large swathes under rebel control.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s most recognisable democratic figure, remains imprisoned, her National League for Democracy party dissolved. The United Nations has condemned the junta for its sweeping crackdown on dissent in the run‑up to the polls.

Myanmar’s military has dominated the nation for most of its post‑independence history, save for a decade of civilian government that briefly raised hopes of reform. Those hopes were dashed after Suu Kyi’s party won a landslide in 2020, prompting military chief Min Aung Hlaing to seize power, citing alleged voter fraud.

Since then, security forces have crushed pro‑democracy protests, while many activists have joined ethnic minority armies fighting the regime from the country’s fringes. Min Aung Hlaing now presents the elections as a step towards peace and democracy, though monitors say the ballot is stacked with military allies.

Legislation introduced by the junta threatens up to ten years in prison for those who protest or criticise the vote, further tightening the climate of fear.

For Myanmar’s people, the January polls are unlikely to deliver genuine change. Instead, they appear set to reinforce the military’s dominance while silencing opposition voices.

-2025-12-26