Myanmar's military-backed party is widely expected to secure a landslide victory in this month's election, which has been criticized for lacking legitimacy by numerous countries, including the UN, human rights experts, the UK, Australia, and the EU. The Union Solidarity and Development party (USDP), the proxy of the junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, is seen as the clear front-runner, thanks to its strong support from China.
The military-backed government has rejected criticism of the election, claiming it has the backing of the public and presenting itself as a return to democracy. However, many observers argue that the election has been rigged in favor of the USDP, with opposition parties banned or severely restricted.
Voting took place in three stages, but turnout has been low, with only 55% of eligible voters casting their ballots. Many areas have been excluded from the process due to fighting and control by anti-junta groups. Analysts say that none of the parties on the ballot paper were seen as offering a credible opposition to the military's rule.
The USDP secured an overwhelming majority of seats in previous rounds, winning 193 out of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 out of 78 seats in the upper house. The party is now expected to win the entire election, thanks to its strong support from China and its ability to control the electoral process.
The international community has condemned the election as a sham, with the USDP being seen as a proxy for the military's rule. Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, described the election as "a rigged process" that was designed to deliver a landslide victory for the USDP.
The military coup in 2021 triggered a devastating conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions more. The junta is accused of committing atrocities against civilians, including airstrikes on civilian areas, which have led to a significant increase in fatalities.
Estimates of the death toll from Myanmar's post-coup conflict vary, but Acled, a monitoring group, estimates that at least 92,000 people have been killed since 2021. The conflict has also seen widespread human rights abuses and restrictions on freedom of speech.
As the election results are announced, many are left wondering whether this will be a turning point for Myanmar or just another chapter in its long history of military rule.
The military-backed government has rejected criticism of the election, claiming it has the backing of the public and presenting itself as a return to democracy. However, many observers argue that the election has been rigged in favor of the USDP, with opposition parties banned or severely restricted.
Voting took place in three stages, but turnout has been low, with only 55% of eligible voters casting their ballots. Many areas have been excluded from the process due to fighting and control by anti-junta groups. Analysts say that none of the parties on the ballot paper were seen as offering a credible opposition to the military's rule.
The USDP secured an overwhelming majority of seats in previous rounds, winning 193 out of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 out of 78 seats in the upper house. The party is now expected to win the entire election, thanks to its strong support from China and its ability to control the electoral process.
The international community has condemned the election as a sham, with the USDP being seen as a proxy for the military's rule. Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, described the election as "a rigged process" that was designed to deliver a landslide victory for the USDP.
The military coup in 2021 triggered a devastating conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions more. The junta is accused of committing atrocities against civilians, including airstrikes on civilian areas, which have led to a significant increase in fatalities.
Estimates of the death toll from Myanmar's post-coup conflict vary, but Acled, a monitoring group, estimates that at least 92,000 people have been killed since 2021. The conflict has also seen widespread human rights abuses and restrictions on freedom of speech.
As the election results are announced, many are left wondering whether this will be a turning point for Myanmar or just another chapter in its long history of military rule.
. It's crazy how China's support is playing a huge role in giving the Union Solidarity and Development party (USDP) an unfair advantage. I mean, we all know what happens when one country has too much influence over another's politics... it doesn't end well for democracy 
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. And let's be real, we all know what happened in Ukraine when Russia interfered with elections... it's a ticking time bomb 
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. It's going to take a lot more than just one election to bring about real change.
It's like, the military-backed party is supposed to win by a landslide, but like, who really trusts that it's fair? 
The whole thing has been pretty shady from the start. I know some people are saying it's a return to democracy and all that, but come on, 55% turnout? That doesn't sound right at all... 
I'm just not buying it.
. The fact that the election is being seen as a sham by so many countries, including the UN and human rights experts, is red flag material 
. And China backing the USDP? That just feels like another layer of corruption 
. I mean, what's next? Are we going to start questioning the legitimacy of elections in other countries too? It's a slippery slope, you know? 
like, what's the point of even having an election if it's just gonna be a sham?
. tom andrews is right, this election was a total sham. let's just hope that somehow, someway, the myanmar people can break free from this military rule and start living their lives without fear 
i mean, especially when u consider how brutal the situation has been since the coup 
. and now they're saying this election is legit? 
| 24%
| 22%
| 20%
| 19%
. The international community is totally right to call this election out as a sham 
. It's heartbreaking, though, thinking about all the lives lost and people displaced due to the military's actions 
. BUT AT WHAT COST? 
. THE ELECTION RESULTS LOOKING SO ONE-SIDED IT'S LIKE THE OPPOSITION PARTIES NEVER STAND A CHANCE 
. I HOPE SOMEONE IS GOING TO STEP IN AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE 
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. The international community is saying it's not legit, but who knows what's really going on? Maybe they'll finally make some changes, but then again maybe not 
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. It feels like Myanmar's just stuck in a never-ending cycle of conflict and suffering... I hope things can get better for them eventually 