Polling has concluded in Myanmar following the final round of a three stage general election that critics say was engineered to cement military control rather than reflect the will of the people. The vote, which capped a nearly month-long electoral process, all but guarantees that the country’s military rulers and their allies will secure a parliamentary majority and form the next government.

The elections come nearly four years after the military overthrew the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a February 2021 coup that plunged the country into prolonged political instability and conflict. Since then, opposition parties have been weakened through arrests, bans, and restrictions, while large parts of the country remain affected by armed resistance and displacement.

Myanmar’s army backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) had already won most of the seats contested during the first two rounds of voting. Under Myanmar’s constitution, 25 percent of seats in both houses of parliament are reserved for the military, effectively guaranteeing its dominance in the legislature regardless of election outcomes. This provision ensures that the armed forces retain decisive influence over lawmaking and governance.

Election observers and critics argue that the polls lacked credibility, citing the exclusion of major opposition groups, limited voter participation, and the broader climate of repression. They say the process was designed to provide a veneer of legitimacy to military rule rather than restore democratic governance in the country.