Myanmar's Hollow Election Ends with Military Victory

55% voter turnout. That's what Myanmar's three-phase election managed to achieve—a stark contrast to the 70% recorded in the country's 2015 and 2020 elections. The numbers tell a story of a population that has largely turned its back on what many see as a sham democratic exercise.

As polls opened at 6am local time on Sunday across 60 townships, including Yangon and Mandalay, the outcome was already predetermined. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) had secured 193 out of 209 lower house seats and 52 out of 78 upper house seats before the final round even began.

A Contest Without Competitors

This wasn't an election in any meaningful sense—it was political theater. Aung San Suu Kyi'sNational League for Democracy (NLD), which crushed the USDP in 2020, has been dissolved. Suu Kyi herself remains in detention nearly five years after the February 1, 2021 coup that plunged the country into civil war.

With the military's allocated 166 seats combined with the USDP's victories, they control nearly 400 seats—well above the 294 needed to form government. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is widely expected to assume the presidency when the new parliament convenes in March, completing the military's transition from direct rule to what critics call "military rule in civilian clothing."

Seventeen other parties managed to win between one and 10 seats each, but their political influence will be negligible. The new Election Protection Law imposed harsh penalties for criticism, leading to charges against more than 400 people for activities as simple as distributing leaflets or posting online.

International Isolation Deepens

ASEAN's response has been unprecedented. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan became the first official to explicitly state that the 11-member bloc would not recognize the election results, citing "concerns over the lack of inclusive and free participation." For a regional organization that typically avoids criticizing member states, this represents a significant diplomatic rebuke.

UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews was even more direct: "Only an illegitimate government can emerge from an illegitimate election." The international community's rejection is nearly universal, leaving Myanmar's military increasingly isolated on the global stage.

Yet in Mandalay, 53-year-old teacher Zaw Ko Ko Myint still cast his ballot at dawn, saying: "Although I do not expect much, we want to see a better country. I feel relieved after voting, as if I fulfilled my duty." His words capture the tragic resignation of a population caught between hope and reality.

Democracy Under Siege

The election took place against the backdrop of ongoing civil war. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 7,705 people have been killed since the coup, with 22,745 remaining in detention. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project estimates the death toll across all sides exceeds 90,000.

More than 3.5 million people have been displaced from their homes. In many areas, polling stations couldn't even be established due to active fighting. The military government promises to hand over power to civilians in April, but the question remains: power to whom, exactly?

The Price of Legitimacy

The military's insistence on conducting elections—however flawed—reveals something important about power in the 21st century. Even authoritarian regimes feel compelled to seek the veneer of democratic legitimacy, suggesting that the idea of popular sovereignty retains power even when its practice is corrupted.

But this performance comes at a cost. The military has spent enormous resources on an election that has only deepened its international isolation and highlighted the absence of genuine public support. The low turnout and widespread criticism have made the exercise counterproductive to its stated goals.