Voters in conflict-scarred Myanmar queued from 6am on Sunday as the second phase of the military-run election unfolded across 100 townships, stretching from Sagaing and Magway to Shan, Kachin and Kayin states. Polling booths opened in schools, government offices and religious buildings, with uniformed personnel visible in several areas &mdash; a reminder that this vote is taking place under the shadow of the gun.
The election is being conducted in three phases because of ongoing armed clashes. The first round on December 28covered 102 townships; the final phase is scheduled for January 25, though 65 townships will not participate due to insecurity. The staggered process, officials say, is logistical. Critics argue it reflects the regime&rsquo;s limited territorial control.
In Kawhmu, the former constituency of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, polling began quietly. Her continued detention and the dissolution of her once-dominant party have stripped the contest of its most recognisable democratic force. The military takeover in February 2021 annulled the previous election, triggered mass protests and armed resistance, and plunged the country into a protracted civil war.
The junta has promised that the election will &ldquo;return power to the people&rdquo; after years of direct rule. Yet the structure of the system itself cements military influence. Under the constitution, the armed forces are guaranteed 25 per cent of seats in each house of parliament, giving them effective veto power over constitutional change.
The national legislature comprises 664 seats across two chambers, and a party securing a combined majority can choose the president and form a government. More than 4,800 candidates from 57 parties are contesting national and regional seats. However, only six parties are competing nationwide with realistic prospects of influence.
The first phase delivered a landslide to the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which captured nearly 90 per cent of lower-house seats contested in that round and secured a strong showing in regional assemblies. Democracy advocates describe this outcome as the product of a tightly controlled political environment, marked by arrests, censorship and the exclusion of key opposition voices.
On the streets of Yangon and Mandalay, some voters turned up out of civic habit or quiet resignation; others stayed away, reflecting the deep mistrust surrounding the process. For many citizens, the election feels less like a national renewal and more like a carefully choreographed exercise to formalise military rule.

Second phase of polls unfolds amid conflict, claims of engineered legitimacy

Myanmar’s Managed Vote Tightens Junta Grip

Second phase of polls unfolds amid conflict, claims of engineered legitimacy

January 11, 2026 | 10:01 IST