Polls in Myanmar have closed after a third and final round of voting, widely regarded as a sham. Popular parties were barred from participating, and large areas of the country have been inaccessible due to a five-year-long civil war.
The military-backed party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), is expected to secure a landslide victory. Despite criticism from the international community about the legitimacy of the elections, the ruling junta insists that the process was free and fair.
Only about one-fifth of Myanmar's 330 townships participated in the elections, including major cities like Yangon and Mandalay. The USDP, which secured only 6% of the parliamentary seats in the 2020 electoral exercise, has fielded candidates nationwide in this round. Meanwhile, another 51 parties and independent candidates contested regional levels.
Previous voting rounds, held on December 28 and January 11, had already shown overwhelming support for the USDP.
In a polling station in Nyaungshwe, voting appeared orderly, aided by local officials and new electronic voting machines. However, the preceding campaigning was marked by intimidation, discouraging citizens from openly discussing their voting choices.
International observers note that many areas remain underdeveloped, suffering from a humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing civil conflict, which has been exacerbated by an economy crippled by decades of military rule.
The military junta has maintained its grip on power since a coup ousting the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. Many opposition voices remain suppressed, contributing to an atmosphere of fear among the populace as the USDP prepares to assume power once again.
