Myanmar Junta Sets December 28 Election Amid Ongoing Civil War

Myanmar's military junta has scheduled the first phase of its multiparty general election for December 28, 2025, with subsequent phases to be announced later, according to the Union Election Commission and state media. The elections are being promoted by the junta as a pathway to end the ongoing civil war, which has left thousands dead, displaced millions, and plunged much of the country into poverty. However, large areas remain under the control of pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic armed organizations that have vowed to block the polls. Opposition leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi who remains imprisoned, and many ousted lawmakers are boycotting the elections, while a UN expert has condemned the vote as a fraudulent attempt to legitimize continued military rule. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who is ruling as acting president and head of the armed forces, is widely expected to maintain power through the election, which may deepen divisions among opposition groups over participation. A recent census for the election faced significant security challenges, failing to gather data from millions of citizens.