Myanmar Elections 2025-26: USDP Sweeps Phased Polls Despite Widespread Violence, Low Turnout

Myanmar concluded its first general elections since the 2021 military coup through a tightly managed, multi-phase process held between December 2025 and January 2026. The military-led administration projected the polls as a return to multiparty democracy, but analysts widely viewed them as a controlled transition designed to preserve the power structure established after the coup. Central to this framework was the 2008 Constitution, which reserves 25% of parliamentary seats for the military, ensuring continued institutional dominance.

The elections were conducted in three phases amid active conflict, reflecting the junta’s limited territorial control. Phase I focused on major urban centers, including Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, and Mandalay, while subsequent phases expanded to other regions despite ongoing clashes. Voting was cancelled in around 65 townships, and nearly one-fifth of the country was excluded due to insecurity. Official figures cited a 55% voter turnout, significantly lower than the 2020 elections.

A new legal architecture shaped the process. Laws introduced in 2023 and 2025 restricted political participation and criminalized dissent, leading to the dissolution of more than 40 parties. Only six parties were allowed to contest nationwide. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) emerged dominant, securing an overwhelming majority in both houses of parliament, aided by electoral design changes such as the introduction of a mixed-member proportional system in the upper house.

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Despite the managed outcome, resistance forces continued to challenge military control across large parts of the country. Ethnic armed organizations and allied groups retained dominance in several border and resource-rich regions, disrupting supply routes and limiting the state’s effective reach. In a few constituencies, local candidates defeated prominent USDP figures, exposing cracks in the projected narrative of uniform support.

International reactions reflected sharp geopolitical divisions. While Western recognition was largely absent, countries including China, Russia, and others maintained engagement, citing stability and strategic interests. India adopted a balancing approach, engaging both the regime and ethnic groups to safeguard border security and regional connectivity. Despite the formal completion of elections, Myanmar remains deeply fragmented, with widespread displacement, humanitarian crises, and continuing conflict defining its political reality.

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