Myanmar Holds Election with Opposition Banned, Vast Areas Excluded

Voting has begun in parts of Myanmar for a national election condemned internationally as illegitimate. The military government, which seized power in a 2021 coup, is using the vote to try to solidify its control. The country's most popular political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), is banned from participating. Its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains imprisoned. A new law also makes it illegal to criticize the election process. Furthermore, large parts of Myanmar will have no voting at all. These areas are either controlled by armed groups opposing the military or are active war zones due to ongoing conflict. This excludes millions of people from participating. International observers and Western governments have dismissed the election as a sham designed only to create the appearance of democracy under continued military rule.