Myanmar Holds First Election Since 2021 Coup Amid Widespread Criticism

Polls have opened in Myanmar for the country’s first general election since the military ousted Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her democratically elected government in a 2021 coup.

The tightly controlled vote began on Sunday in roughly one-third of Myanmar’s 330 townships, with vast areas excluded due to ongoing conflict between the military and various opposition forces. Authorities have cancelled voting in 65 townships, while two additional rounds of polling are scheduled for January 11 and January 25.

According to Al Jazeera correspondent Tony Cheng, at least 20 percent of the population has been disenfranchised at this stage. Reporting from Yangon, he said polling stations opened at 6am local time and saw a steady flow of voters, though most appeared middle-aged, with few young people participating. Cheng noted that ballot choices were limited, with most candidates affiliated with military-backed parties.

The election has been widely condemned by the United Nations, Western governments, and human rights groups, who argue the process lacks legitimacy. Anti-military political parties are not contesting the vote, and opposition leaders say the election is designed to entrench military rule rather than restore democracy.

Aung San Suu Kyi remains detained, and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide victory in the 2020 election, has been dissolved. Critics say the exclusion of the NLD and ongoing civil war make meaningful democratic participation impossible.

Observers warn that the vote is unlikely to bring political stability to Myanmar, as fighting continues across much of the country and opposition groups reject the military’s roadmap to governance.