Myanmar's Military-Backed Party Secures Decisive Election Victory Amid Ongoing Conflict
YANGON/NAYPYIDAW, January 30 – Myanmar’s military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has clinched a sweeping victory in the nation’s three-phase general election, according to state media announcements this week. The result solidifies the political dominance of the military establishment following a tightly managed electoral process conducted against the backdrop of a brutal civil war and widespread political repression.
Official results released Thursday and Friday show the USDP secured an overwhelming majority in both legislative chambers. The party won 232 of the 263 contested seats in the lower house, the Pyithu Hluttaw, and has so far claimed 109 of the 157 announced seats in the upper house, the Amyotha Hluttaw. The parliament is expected to convene in March to elect a president, with a new administration set to take office in April, according to junta statements reported earlier this month.
The final round of voting in late January concluded an election cycle that began on December 28, more than four years after the military seized power in a February 2021 coup that ousted the democratically elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The country has since descended into profound turmoil, with a fierce crackdown on dissent sparking a nationwide armed rebellion that has, according to UN estimates, displaced approximately 3.6 million people.
International Condemnation and Domestic Crackdown
The election has drawn sharp international criticism. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has stated it will not endorse the process, while human rights groups and several Western governments have denounced it as a sham. Critics argue the polls were engineered to entrench military rule, noting that Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) was dissolved and dozens of other parties were barred or chose to boycott.
Myanmar’s military government maintains the election was free, fair, and reflected public will. The political system itself guarantees the military an automatic 25% of parliamentary seats, providing a permanent veto and ensuring its continued influence over any civilian-led administration.
A Proxy for Permanent Control
Founded in 2010 after decades of direct military rule, the USDP was explicitly designed to act as a political proxy for the armed forces, or Tatmadaw. The party is chaired by a retired brigadier general and fielded over a thousand candidates. Junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who is expected to retain a central role in the new government, has framed the election as a "step toward stability," vowing a transfer of state responsibilities while insisting the military will never neglect its self-appointed role as the nation’s guardian.
Low Turnout and Cancelled Votes Reflect Conflict
Reported voter turnout stood at approximately 55% across all three phases, a significant drop from the roughly 70% participation seen in the 2015 and 2020 elections. Voting was only held in 263 of Myanmar’s 330 townships. In many areas, polling was cancelled entirely due to intense fighting between the military and a combination of entrenched ethnic armed organizations and newer local resistance forces born from the post-coup uprising.
Voices from the Region
"This was a predetermined outcome, a theatrical performance meant to lend a veneer of legitimacy to an illegal regime. The world must see it for what it is: a brutal consolidation of power, not a democratic process." – Khin Zaw, a Myanmar human rights researcher based in Thailand, his voice sharp with frustration.
"The results are unsurprising but deeply disheartening. They formalize the military's political grip and likely close the door on any near-term negotiated settlement. The humanitarian consequences will be severe." – Dr. Alistair Reid, Southeast Asia political analyst at the University of Singapore.
"For many ordinary citizens in areas under military control, participating was less about choice and more about survival. The low turnout in places where voting did occur speaks volumes about silent resistance." – Mi Chan, a schoolteacher from Mandalay who requested a pseudonym.
"The junta is following its own roadmap. While outsiders criticize, the priority for many here is an end to the violence. If this election leads to even a marginal reduction in conflict, it will be seen as a positive step by some." – U Than Tun, a retired civil servant in Naypyidaw.