MYANMAR – Myanmar’s military chief and acting president, Min Aung Hlaing, has urgently called for increased security measures to protect political party members, candidates, and voters in the lead-up to general elections planned for December 2025 and January 2026. This announcement comes as the newly established interim government prepares to conduct the polls, despite widespread dismissal by Western governments who label the elections a sham designed to entrench military power.
Min Aung Hlaing warned authorities of a potential rise in attacks on civil servants and stressed that the election “must be held without fail,” according to Myanmar’s state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper. During a recent meeting of a newly formed commission responsible for overseeing the election, military officials reviewed preparations, including reinforcing security through the creation of “people’s security” groups.
The upcoming elections are unique in that opposition parties are either barred from participation or have chosen to boycott the process entirely. As a result, the polls are widely expected to be dominated by proxies loyal to the military. Military-backed authorities had conducted a nationwide census in 2024 to create voter rolls; however, on-ground surveys were completed in less than half of the country’s townships, underscoring logistical challenges.
The election follows four years after Min Aung Hlaing led a coup that ousted Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected civilian government. The takeover triggered massive protests and escalated into a civil war involving multiple ethnic armies and armed groups fighting the well-armed military across several fronts.
Last month, the military-led council introduced new electoral laws aimed at tightening election security. These include punishments ranging from a minimum of three years in prison to the death penalty for election-related violations.
As Myanmar moves forward with these planned elections under a civilian-led interim government that nominally assumed power this month, the political landscape remains fraught with tension, fear of escalated violence, and a deep skepticism about the legitimacy of the electoral process. The military’s firm grip on power appears set to continue, with Min Aung Hlaing at its helm.