Myanmar Junta Reports 52% Voter Turnout in Controversial Election

Myanmar’s military junta announced that approximately 52.13% of eligible voters participated in the first phase of a national election held on December 28, 2023. This figure is significantly lower than the turnout rates observed in the previous two elections, which were around 70%. This election marks the first since the military coup of 2021, occurring amid ongoing civil conflict.

The junta, led by retired generals, anticipates that the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party will regain power. The election is being criticized by the United Nations, various Western nations, and human rights organizations, which argue that the voting process lacks legitimacy. These groups highlight that anti-junta political parties are excluded from participating and that any criticism of the election is prohibited.

Details of the Election Process

Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the junta, stated that more than six million voters cast their ballots across 102 townships. He commented on state media that voter turnout, even in more developed democracies, can sometimes fall below 50%, calling the turnout a “source of pride.”

According to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, the turnout in Myanmar’s 2020 and 2015 elections was significantly higher, at approximately 70%. Furthermore, the junta’s legal framework does not stipulate a minimum voter turnout requirement, as noted by the Asian Network for Free Elections, which monitors electoral processes.

The election consists of three phases, with further voting scheduled for January 11 and January 25, 2024, covering 265 of Myanmar’s 330 townships. However, the junta does not exert full control over all these areas, raising concerns about the credibility of the election.

Political Context and Implications

The political landscape in Myanmar remains tense. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy, was ousted during the coup and continues to be detained. Her party, which won a landslide victory in the 2020 elections, has been dissolved, leaving the political opposition largely suppressed.