Myanmar holds final election round, military-backed party set to win

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Ted RegenciaJanuary 25, 2026 at 05:17 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Myanmar held the final round of its general election on January 25, 2026, amid a civil war that began after the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government nearly five years ago. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is expected to win a landslide victory, with critics denouncing the polls as neither free nor fair. The USDP has already secured a significant number of seats, and combined with the military's allocated seats, they surpass the threshold needed to form a government. Aung San Suu Kyi remains in detention, and her party has been dissolved, further tilting the political landscape. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the current military government, is widely expected to assume the presidency. International bodies, including the UN and ASEAN, have criticized the election's legitimacy.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Reuters 40% Yangon 50% Mandalay ×250% UN 60% National League for Democracy (NLD) 70% Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 70% Aung San Suu Kyi ×280% Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) ×280% Min Aung Hlaing ×285% Myanmar ×690%

Keywords

myanmar 100% election 90% military-backed party 80% civil war 70% military rule 60% union solidarity and development party 50% aung san suu kyi 50% min aung hlaing 40% political playing field 40%