Myanmar’s USDP wins first phase of pollCONTROVERSY: Western diplomats and the UN rights chief have condemned the vote, citing a crackdown on dissent and a candidate list stacked with military alliesAFP, NAYPYIDAWMyanmar’s dominant pro-military party is “winning a majority” in the first phase of junta-run elections, a party source said yesterday, after democracy watchdogs warned the poll would entrench military rule. The armed forces snatched power in a 2021 coup, but on Sunday opened voting in a phased month-long election they pledge would return power to the people. The military overturned the results of the last poll in 2020 after Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, trounced the USDP. The military and USDP then alleged massive voter fraud, claims which international monitors say were unfounded. However, on Sunday military chief Min Aung Hlaing said the armed forces could be trusted to hand back power to a civilian-led government.

Source: Taipei Times December 29, 2025 16:45 UTC