Myanmar opens the final round of its monthly elections on Sunday, with the pro-military party on course for a landslide victory. Critics of the election say it will prolong the military's control of the country.
Myanmar has a long history of military rule, but there were ten years of civilian-led reforms before the coup in 2021. Here, former democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained, a civil war began, and a humanitarian crisis ensued.
As the third phase of the election opened, polling stations opened in many districts of the country from 6 a.m. Sunday, a week before the fifth anniversary of the coup. According to experts, the election was designed to support the military, especially as Suu Kyi's popular party dissolved.
According to officials, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), led by retired military officers, won more than 85% of the seats in the lower house and two-thirds of the upper house in the first two rounds. Observers say the election was a “fabricated vote” to legitimize military rule.
Despite security threats and a lack of freedom to vote in some regions, many voters like Teacher Zaw Ko Ko Myint said, “I feel I have done my duty.” Official results are expected later this week, but the USDP is expecting their victory soon after polling stations close.
