MYANMAR’S PRO MILITARY PARTY (USDP) SECURES VICTORY IN JUNTA RUN POLLS

MYANMAR’S PRO MILITARY PARTY (USDP) SECURES VICTORY IN JUNTA RUN POLLS

What happened in Myanmar?

• On January 26, 2026, Myanmar’s dominant pro-military party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), declared victory in the country’s junta-run elections.
• The announcement came a day after the third and final phase of voting, which concluded on Sunday.
• A senior USDP official stated that the party had already secured a majority and was in a position to form a new government.
• Official election results are expected to be released later this week.

WHO DECLARED THE VICTORY & WHAT WAS SAID?

• A senior official of the USDP, speaking anonymously, told media agencies:
  • “We won a majority already.”
  • “We are in the position to form a new government.”
  • “As we won in the election, we will move forward.”
• The official said they were not authorised to release preliminary results, but confirmed the party’s confidence in victory.

BACKGROUND: MYANMAR’S MILITARY TAKEOVER

• Myanmar has been under military rule since February 2021, when the armed forces staged a coup d’état.
• The coup overthrew the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
• Since the coup:
  • Suu Kyi has remained detained
  • Her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has been dissolved
• The military justified the takeover by alleging election fraud in the 2020 elections, which the NLD had won by a landslide.

NATURE OF USDP

• The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is widely viewed as a civilian proxy of the Myanmar military.
• Analysts describe the party as closely aligned with the armed forces, rather than an independent civilian political force.
• The military previously governed Myanmar directly and later used the USDP as a political vehicle during earlier periods of controlled democracy.

WHY ARE THE ELECTIONS CONTROVERSIAL?

• Democracy watchdogs and analysts have strongly criticised the polls, calling them:
  • A rebranding of military rule
  • A process designed to give the junta civilian legitimacy
• Critics argue that:
  • The ballot was stacked in favour of military allies
  • Major opposition forces were barred from contesting

ABSENCE OF KEY POLITICAL PARTIES

• According to the Asian Network for Free Elections, parties that had won around 90% of seats in the 2020 election were not allowed to participate this time.
• This effectively excluded:
  • Pro-democracy parties
  • Former ruling forces with popular support
• As a result, voters were left with limited political choices, heavily tilted towards the military-backed establishment.

VOTING NOT HELD ACROSS THE COUNTRY

• Voting did not take place in large parts of Myanmar.
• These areas are controlled by:
  • Rebel groups
  • Armed resistance factions
• The ongoing civil war, triggered by the 2021 coup, made polling impossible in these regions.
• This has raised serious questions about the national mandate of the election.

SECURITY ENVIRONMENT DURING THE POLLS

• In areas controlled by the junta:
  • Political dissent has been systematically suppressed
  • New laws criminalise:
    • Protests
    • Criticism of the election
  • Punishments can include up to 10 years in prison.
  • According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP):
    • More than 22,000 people are currently imprisoned in junta jails.

ROLE OF JUNTA CHIEF

• On Sunday, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was seen touring polling stations in civilian clothing in Mandalay.
• He did not rule out becoming president under the new political arrangement.
• Under Myanmar’s system:
  • The president is chosen by a majority of Members of Parliament
  • Parliament is expected to convene in March 2026

MILITARY STRATEGY BEHIND THE ELECTION

• Analysts say the military has carefully stage-managed the election.
• The objective was to:
  • Retain real power
  • Create a veneer of civilian governance
• Five years after the coup, the election is seen as an attempt to:
  • Normalise military rule
  • Reduce international pressure

INTERNATIONAL REACTION & CONCERNS

• The response of the international community is seen as crucial.
• UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andres warned that:
  • The election outcome inside Myanmar was never in doubt
  • What mattered most was international acceptance or rejection
• He stated that recognising the election would:
  • Legitimize a fraudulent political exercise
  • Set back prospects for resolving Myanmar’s crisis

BROADER IMPLICATIONS

• The elections do not resolve:
  • The civil war
  • Political repression
  • The legitimacy crisis
• Instead, they may:
  • Entrench military control
  • Further isolate Myanmar internationally
  • Prolong internal conflict

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