Myanmar’s military authorities have opened the final round of a month-long election process, with the pro-junta Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) heading for a decisive victory in polls that critics say are engineered to cement the army’s grip on power. 

The vote comes nearly five years after the military ousted the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, triggering widespread unrest and armed resistance across the country.

Opposition groups and international observers argue the elections lack credibility, citing the exclusion of key political actors, severe restrictions on campaigning, and ongoing conflict in large parts of the country. Many say the process is designed to provide a veneer of legitimacy to continued military rule rather than reflect the will of the electorate.

According to TRT Inside, the USDP has already won most of the seats contested in the first two rounds of voting, putting it on course for a landslide as the final phase concludes. Under Myanmar’s constitution, 25 percent of seats in both houses of parliament are reserved for the military, effectively guaranteeing the armed forces and their allies’ control of the legislature regardless of election results.

The USDP, formed in 2010 and dominated by former senior military officers, previously governed Myanmar for five years after the end of an earlier period of direct military rule. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has underscored the army’s enduring political role, stating last week that the Tatmadaw would remain a “steadfast institution” responsible for national defence and security, reinforcing concerns that the military has no real intention of relinquishing power.

BOB Post