Under the shadow of war and deep public doubt, Myanmar went to the polls on Sunday — but the silence was hard to miss.
In what is the country’s first general election since the 2021 military coup, voters turned out in apparently low numbers, raising fresh questions about legitimacy, fear, and the future of a nation still torn by conflict.
The vote comes as Myanmar remains locked in a brutal civil war, sparked after the military overthrew the elected civilian government and violently crushed pro-democracy protests. Since then, armed resistance has spread across the country, leaving many areas unsafe — and many citizens disillusioned.
Still, the ruling junta pressed on.
Officials said the three-phase election would restore political stability and bring a “better future” to the impoverished Southeast Asian nation. But outside Myanmar, the reaction has been swift and critical.
The United Nations, Western governments, and human rights groups have all rejected the vote, saying it is neither free, fair, nor credible. Key opposition parties have been barred. Criticizing the election is illegal. And Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won a landslide victory in 2020, remains behind bars. Her National League for Democracy has since been dissolved.
With the opposition sidelined, attention has turned to the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) — a military-backed group led by retired generals and fielding about one-fifth of all candidates.
According to Myanmar expert Lalita Hanwong of Thailand’s Kasetsart University, the outcome appears all but decided.
“This election is designed to prolong military control,” she said.
“The USDP and its allies will form the next government.”
Across cities and towns, the mood reflected that sentiment.
Residents in Yangon, Mandalay, and other urban centers described thin crowds and quiet polling stations, a stark contrast to the energy seen in the 2015 and 2020 elections, when turnout reached around 70 percent.
“There is none of the excitement,” one Mandalay resident said quietly.
“It’s nothing like before.”
Further rounds of voting are scheduled for January 11 and January 25, covering 265 of Myanmar’s 330 townships — though the military does not fully control all of them. No final date has been announced for official results.
In Naypyitaw, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing voted under heavy security, later appearing on state television smiling and holding up his ink-stained finger — a symbol meant to show democratic participation.
Asked whether he aspired to become president, he deflected.
“When parliament convenes, there is a process,” he said.
But skepticism runs deep.
U.N. human rights envoy Tom Andrews flatly rejected the election, saying it is not a path out of Myanmar’s crisis and should not be recognized.
Even junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun acknowledged global opposition — yet insisted stability would follow.
“We believe there will be a better future,” he said.
On the ground, many were unconvinced.
In smaller cities like Myawaddy and Mawlamyine, voters cast ballots amid heavy security. In Hakha, capital of Chin State, streets were nearly empty after local rebel groups urged residents to boycott the vote.
“None of us went,” said a 63-year-old resident.
“We are not interested.”
Despite the lack of enthusiasm, there were no widespread reports of voters being forced to participate. Myanmar’s election laws also set no minimum turnout requirement, meaning results will stand regardless of how many people vote.
As polling stations closed, the message from many citizens was clear — this election feels distant from their lives, their struggles, and their hopes.
For a country yearning for peace, Sunday’s quiet ballots spoke louder than words.
