Myanmar forms election commission headed by Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing
Myanmar's military junta has established an 11-member election commission led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the country’s de facto leader, to oversee a long-promised national vote, state broadcaster MRTV reported Thursday.
While the junta stopped short of providing a specific date for the election, MRTV said Min Aung Hlaing will remain interim president and maintain full control during the electoral process. On Wednesday, he indicated that the election is scheduled for December, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The planned vote would be Myanmar's first national election since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, which sparked widespread protests, a brutal crackdown, and a civil war that continues to destabilize much of the country.
Min Aung Hlaing’s regime has faced international condemnation and sanctions for its crackdown on democracy activists and armed resistance. The 2021 coup overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains imprisoned along with many members of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).
Critics and pro-democracy groups argue that any election held under junta control will lack legitimacy and transparency, especially with key opposition leaders jailed or barred from running.
Myanmar's military leadership has strengthened ties with countries like Russia and China since the coup, and Min Aung Hlaing has made several high-profile diplomatic visits, including to Moscow, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2025.
As Myanmar prepares for a December vote, the international community continues to call for inclusive, credible elections and the restoration of democratic governance in the conflict-torn Southeast Asian nation.
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