Newspaper Article 9 hours ago
Myanmar’s military-backed USDP won elections held in limited areas, drawing regional and international criticism over legitimacy and exclusion of opposition
General elections in Myanmar have led to the victory of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Polling was conducted in 274 townships out of 330. Fifty-six townships were designated as unstable for voting. The states of Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Sagaing and Karenni were not included in the voting process. The USDP has won 193 out of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 out of 78 seats in the upper house. The newly elected parliament will convene in March, and the new government will take charge in April 2026.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military government in Myanmar, is expected to assume the presidency. The National League for Democracy (NLD), the victor in the 2015 and 2020 elections, was barred from contesting. In the November 2020 election, the NLD secured 396 out of 476 seats in both the lower and upper houses of parliament, while the USDP managed only 26 seats. However, the election result was not approved by the military; consequently, a military coup was enforced in Myanmar. Since the military coup in February 2021, 7,705 people have been killed, while 22,745 have been kept in detention (reference: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners).
NLD State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, despite having a majority vote, has not been able to make her way to the office of the president. Suu Kyi’s late husband and two sons have British nationality, and as per the Constitution of Myanmar, anybody with family members holding foreign citizenship is ineligible for the post of president. The NLD also floated a proposal in parliament to alter the military’s 25 per cent allocation of seats and its hold on key ministries — defence, border and home affairs. However, the proposal failed to gain the required 75 per cent majority vote in parliament and could not be implemented. Aung San Suu Kyi continues to live in detention in Myanmar.
The military’s role in Myanmar’s politics reflects weak political institutions in the country. The manner in which the military has attempted to legitimise its victory in the election will carry international implications. Countries that have been critical of Myanmar’s stance on the Rohingya are likely to exploit the situation. In particular, Myanmar’s ASEAN membership and participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) may be linked to the country’s internal political situation.
Myanmar’s geographic proximity to two populous countries, China and India, makes it an attractive destination for trade and investment
Reflecting the regional response, ASEAN, the 11-member regional bloc of which Myanmar is a member, has not approved the election outcome. Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan stated that “ASEAN did not send observers and would not certify the election, citing concerns over the lack of inclusive and free participation.” Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, has described the election as fraudulent and labelled it “military rule in civilian clothing”.
Bangladesh, host to more than a million Rohingya, refused to send election observers to Myanmar. The interim Bangladeshi government has described the election as a bid to manufacture legitimacy. Domestic rights advocates in Bangladesh are also criticising the election in Myanmar. Bangladesh’s prospects for negotiation with the new military-backed government in Myanmar appear bleak.
Myanmar’s geographic proximity to two populous countries, China and India, makes it an attractive destination for trade and investment. Both China and India have built up ties with Myanmar, and observers from both countries were present to monitor the elections. China has congratulated Myanmar on the conduct of a steady and orderly election. China’s economic cooperation with Myanmar focuses on the China–Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) and the oil and gas pipelines running through the country.
India, meanwhile, has been forging cooperative ties with Myanmar and is currently the 11th largest investor in the country, with investments amounting to US$782.82 million by 39 Indian enterprises. In October 2020, India handed over a Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhuvir, to the Myanmar Navy. New Delhi’s priority is to counterbalance China in Myanmar and limit the East Asian country’s role in the Indian Ocean.
Note: This article appeared in TFT.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are of the author and do not necessarily represent Institute’s policy.
