Myanmar Junta To Hold Elections On 28 December Despite Conflict

Myanmar’s military government has announced that long-promised elections will begin on 28 December, even as a civil war continues to leave large parts of the country beyond its control.

According to AFP, the Union Election Commission said on Monday (18 August) that the first phase of voting would take place on 28 December 2025, with dates for later phases to be announced separately. The commission described the poll as a “multi-party democratic general election for each parliament”.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021, citing unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud. The coup triggered mass protests and a nationwide armed resistance. Swathes of territory are now run by pro-democracy militias and powerful ethnic armed groups, many of whom have pledged to prevent the ballot from taking place in their areas.

The conflict has killed thousands, displaced more than 3.5 million people and pushed over half the population into poverty. The junta has promoted elections as a step towards ending the war, offering cash rewards to opposition fighters willing to surrender their weapons before polling.

Suu Kyi remains in detention, and many lawmakers ousted by the coup are boycotting the process. AFP reported that a United Nations expert has called the election a “fraud” aimed at rebranding continuing military rule.

General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the 2021 coup, is currently acting president while also serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Analysts say the vote is likely to secure his hold on power, regardless of the outcome. AFP reported that some observers also warn the process could deepen divisions among opposition forces as they debate whether or not to participate.

Preparations for the election included a national census last year, but provisional results suggested officials failed to gather data from 19 million of Myanmar’s estimated 51 million people. The authorities cited “significant security constraints” for the shortfall, underscoring the limited reach of the state in conflict-affected areas.