Myanmar military party plans a new council

Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has secured victory in the country’s first election in five years, according to final figures released on Wednesday. The announcement coincided with army chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing signing a law to establish a new Union Consultative Council — a body that could allow him to retain influence without formally leading the government.

The USDP, dominated by former generals, won 339 of the 586 parliamentary seats. Combined with the 166 seats automatically reserved for the military under the constitution, the bloc now controls around 86% of the legislature. Twenty-one smaller parties took the remaining seats, but none came close to challenging the military’s dominance.

The election was widely criticised as uncompetitive, with major opposition parties excluded and dissent tightly restricted. Voting was held in three phases across December and January, but about one-fifth of townships were unable to participate due to ongoing conflict. Official figures show turnout at 54%, with more than 13 million ballots cast.

Min Aung Hlaing, long expected to assume the presidency, faces a constitutional dilemma: the role bars a president from simultaneously serving as commander-in-chief, the country’s most powerful post. The new council could provide a way for him to continue shaping national security, foreign policy and legislative priorities without relinquishing military command.

The creation of parallel bodies has been a hallmark of Myanmar’s military rule since the 2021 coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. That takeover sparked mass protests and armed resistance, escalating into a civil war that continues to destabilise large parts of the country.

International reaction has been swift. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk condemned the election as failing to respect fundamental rights, warning that coercion and intimidation marred the process. He described the vote as entrenching “rule-by-violence” rather than genuine civilian governance.

Parliament is expected to convene in March to elect a new president. Whether Min Aung Hlaing steps into that role or opts to lead the consultative council will be closely watched, as Myanmar’s military seeks to consolidate power while projecting a veneer of electoral legitimacy.

-2026-02-05