Yangon: Myanmar on Sunday concluded the third and final phase of its general elections, marking the first such electoral process since the 2021 military coup, local media reported. The polls, which took place in 63 townships across the nation, began on Sunday morning and were completed by the afternoon, as reported by Myanmar Radio and Television.
According to Anadolu Agency, the country's acting president, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, visited several polling stations in the Mandalay region during the voting process. Gen. Min dismissed the international community's refusal to recognize the junta-led election, stating, "It is not my concern that the international community refuses to acknowledge this," as quoted by the newspaper Irrawaddy.
The election process was divided into three phases, with the second phase occurring on January 11 across 100 townships, and the first phase on December 28 in 102 townships. Earlier this month, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Htun, head of the junta's information team, announced that a new parliament is expected to convene in March, followed by the formation of a new government in April.
The elections aim to appoint members of the Union Parliament, which includes both lower and upper houses, as well as state and regional legislatures. The newly elected parliament will subsequently elect a president, who will be responsible for forming the next government. This marks the first election since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy in 2021, leading to over four years of emergency rule.
Myanmar's parliamentary structure comprises 664 seats, with 440 in the lower house and 224 in the upper house. Notably, 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy, were dissolved in 2023. At least six parties fielded nearly 5,000 candidates for the elections, with 57 parties participating at the regional level. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party nominated over 1,000 candidates.
UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, took to the US social media company X on Friday, urging the international community to dismiss the elections' legitimacy. He asserted, "Only an illegitimate government can emerge from an illegitimate election. As Myanmar's election ends, the world must reject it as fraudulent while rejecting what follows as simply military rule in civilian clothing."