Polls closed on Sunday in the first phase of Myanmar’s controversial election, widely dismissed by critics and international observers as a “sham” amid ongoing civil war, political repression and the exclusion of major opposition parties.
The phased vote is being organised by the military government nearly five years after it seized power in a 2021 coup that overthrew the elected civilian administration and plunged the country into widespread conflict.
Analysts say the junta is seeking to legitimise its continued rule through the ballot, despite strong domestic resistance and international condemnation, with voting expected to take place in only part of the country.
The election unfolded amid reports of violence in several regions. In the Mandalay region, a rocket attack on an uninhabited house injured three people in the early hours of Sunday, according to regional authorities.
In Myawaddy township near the Thai border, a series of explosions late on Saturday damaged more than ten houses, killing a child and injuring three others, residents said.
More than 200 people have been charged under a new law criminalising opposition to the polls, with penalties including long prison terms and the death penalty. Several artists and public figures have already been convicted for criticising the election.
Despite the security concerns, some voters who participated described the process as tightly controlled. Others said they voted out of civic duty, citing rising living costs and economic hardship.
The military has rejected accusations that the election lacks legitimacy, insisting it is part of a transition back to a multi-party democratic system. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said the vote would be free and fair.
The United Nations and Western governments have condemned the process. UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews said no legitimate outcome could emerge from an election conducted by a regime that continues to bomb civilians and jail political opponents.
Voting is scheduled to take place in three phases over the next month in 265 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, with authorities declaring the rest too unstable to participate. Analysts estimate that up to half of the country may be unable to vote.
Major opposition parties, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, have been banned, with many of their leaders jailed or in exile. Only six parties, including the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, are contesting nationwide.