Myanmar’s military junta announced on Monday that it will hold long-delayed elections starting December 28, 2025, in what critics and opposition groups have condemned as a staged effort to legitimize its authoritarian rule.

The Union Election Commission described the vote as the first phase of a “step-by-step” electoral process, with further dates to be announced. However, with the country engulfed in a brutal civil war and key opposition groups boycotting the polls, the elections are widely seen as a hollow attempt by junta leader Min Aung Hlaing to entrench military dominance.

The junta’s state-aligned media reported that 55 political parties, including nine contesting seats nationwide, have registered to participate. Yet, the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by imprisoned democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, has vowed to boycott the vote, labeling it illegitimate. Other major opposition groups, including armed resistance movements, have echoed this rejection, arguing that no credible election can occur under the junta’s repressive control.

Myanmar has been mired in chaos since the military’s February 2021 coup, which ousted Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government and nullified the NLD’s landslide victory in the 2020 elections. The coup sparked nationwide protests, met with a ruthless military crackdown that has killed over 5,000 civilians and displaced more than 3 million people, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). Armed resistance groups, including the People’s Defence Force (PDF), Arakan Army (AA), and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), now control significant swathes of the country, engaging in near-daily clashes with junta forces.

In July 2025, the junta claimed “improvements in stability” and partially lifted emergency rule in select regions to pave the way for the elections. However, ongoing violence in areas like Shan, Rakhine, and Kachin states undermines these claims. On August 15, 2025, the AA launched a major offensive in Rakhine, capturing key military outposts, while the PDF reported coordinated attacks on junta positions in Sagaing. These developments highlight the junta’s tenuous grip on power and the implausibility of holding free elections.

The NLD, whose 2020 victory was validated by independent monitors like the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the Carter Center, has called the upcoming vote a “farce” designed to perpetuate military rule. Suu Kyi, 80, remains under house arrest, facing over 20 years in prison on charges widely regarded as politically motivated. Other NLD leaders are either detained or in hiding, further crippling the party’s ability to participate.

The shadow National Unity Government (NUG), formed by ousted lawmakers and allied with the PDF, has also rejected the elections, urging citizens to resist junta propaganda. In a statement on August 18, 2025, the NUG declared, “The military’s so-called elections are a desperate bid to whitewash their crimes. The people of Myanmar will not be fooled.”

International observers have echoed these concerns. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, warned on August 17, 2025, that elections under current conditions “risk exacerbating violence and division.” The U.S. and EU have maintained sanctions on junta leaders, with the EU announcing on August 10 an additional $20 million in humanitarian aid for displaced civilians. ASEAN, which banned junta leaders from its summits, reiterated calls for an inclusive political process, a demand the military has ignored.

Myanmar’s humanitarian situation remains dire, with over 18 million people—nearly a third of the population—requiring aid, per UN estimates. Economic collapse, with inflation soaring 30% since 2024, has deepened poverty, while fuel and food shortages plague junta-controlled areas. In rebel-held regions, humanitarian access is severely restricted, with the junta blocking aid convoys to opposition strongholds.

Recent clashes have intensified the crisis. On August 16, 2025, junta airstrikes in Karenni State killed 12 civilians, including children, prompting condemnation from Human Rights Watch. The group accused the military of targeting civilian infrastructure to undermine resistance support.

As the December 28 vote approaches, Myanmar remains a nation fractured by violence and mistrust. The junta’s insistence on holding elections amid widespread conflict and repression has only deepened skepticism among citizens and the international community. For many in Myanmar, the prospect of a military-orchestrated vote offers no hope for democracy, only a continuation of the suffering that has defined the country since the 2021 coup. With resistance groups vowing to disrupt the process and the NLD calling for a boycott, the junta’s gamble risks further inflaming a crisis that shows no signs of abating. (ILKHA)