Polls open in Myanmar as military holds first election since 2021 coup

"Polls have opened in Myanmar's first general election since the country's military toppled Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government in a 2021 coup. The heavily restricted election on Sunday is taking place in about a third of the Southeast Asian nation's 330 townships, with large areas inaccessible amid a raging civil war between the military and an array of opposition forces."

"Following the initial phase, two rounds of voting will be held on January 11 and January 25, while voting has been cancelled in 65 townships altogether. This means that at least 20 percent of the country is disenfranchised at this stage, said Al Jazeera's Tony Cheng, reporting from Myanmar's largest city, Yangon. The big question is going to be here in the cities, what is the turnout going to be like?"

"The election has been derided by critics including the United Nations, some Western countries and human rights groups as an exercise that is not free, fair or credible, with anti-military political parties not competing. Aung San Suu Kyi, who was deposed by the military months after her National League for Democracy (NLD) won the last general election by a landslide in 2020, remains in detention, and her party has been dissolved."

Polls opened in Myanmar's first general election since the 2021 military coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's government. The heavily restricted vote covers about a third of the nation's 330 townships, with voting cancelled in 65 townships and at least 20 percent of the country disenfranchised. Large areas remain inaccessible amid a raging civil war between the military and multiple opposition forces. Two further voting rounds are scheduled for January 11 and January 25. Early urban turnout appears dominated by middle-aged voters with few young people participating, and ballots offer mostly military parties. International actors and rights groups characterize the vote as not free, fair or credible; Aung San Suu Kyi remains detained and the NLD dissolved.

Read at www.aljazeera.com