Yangon: Myanmar opened polling stations today for the final of three phases of the election. The party supported by the military is expected to win, and the military leader is expected to continue his political role. Today marks the start of elections in the remaining 60 cities, including major cities like Yangon and Mandalay. This follows two previous election phases on December 28, 2025, and January 11, 2026, where voter turnout was only 55 percent, significantly lower than the 70 percent seen in the 2015 and 2020 elections. Meanwhile, fighting continues in many areas of Myanmar between the military and ethnic groups, including airstrikes on civilian areas in Rakhine, Shan, and Karen states.
According to Thai News Agency, data from the Election Commission indicates that the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), founded in 2010 and supported by the military, swept 193 seats in the House of Representatives out of 209 elected seats and 52 seats in the Senate out of 78 elected seats. The National League for Democracy (NLD) did not participate in the election because it was dissolved by the government after the military overthrew the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, 69, head of Myanmar's military junta, said last week that no matter how the government changes, the military will remain an institution responsible for protecting the nation. He is now considering appointing a successor as commander-in-chief and may then transition to a full-time political career.
Myanmar's military junta has pledged to transfer power to a new, elected government, while the United Nations, some Western nations, and human rights groups have criticized the election as a sham aimed at consolidating military power permanently. Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Theresa Lazaro, ASEAN's Special Envoy for the Myanmar crisis, revealed on January 22nd that the Philippines, as the current chair of ASEAN, does not recognize the Myanmar election results but remains open to whatever happens afterward. Earlier, Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohammad Hassan told parliament on January 20th that at last year's ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, ASEAN rejected Myanmar's request for election observers and would not recognize the results.