Myanmar’s military government has announced that the third phase of its general election will take place on January 25, despite the country being engulfed in a fierce civil war. The announcement was made through state media on Thursday (December 26), outlining a voting plan that many analysts say is aimed at legitimizing the junta’s rule rather than reflecting the will of the people.

According to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, the first two phases of voting are scheduled for December 28 and January 11, covering 202 of the country’s 330 townships. The third phase will include an additional 63 townships, though the regime has yet to announce when votes will be counted or when results will be declared.

The military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has previously admitted that the election will not be held nationwide due to ongoing armed resistance against the junta. Since the 2021 coup that overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has plunged into one of its bloodiest conflicts in decades, with anti-junta militias and ethnic armed groups seizing territory across multiple regions.

According to Reuters, analysts believe the junta’s move from “battlefield to ballots” is a political strategy aimed at portraying control and legitimacy both domestically and internationally. However, they caution that the effort faces “long odds,” as large parts of the country remain outside military control and public trust in the electoral process is virtually nonexistent.

Despite this, the junta continues to claim that the election represents the will of the people and is part of its plan to restore stability. Yet, for many inside Myanmar and observers abroad, the coming polls are seen not as a sign of democracy’s return but as a desperate attempt by the generals to maintain their grip on power.

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