Myanmar election delivers walkover win for military-backed political party

Myanmar’s military rulers say polls were free and fair as UN reports 170 killed in air attacks during election period.Published On 31 Jan 2026Myanmar’s military-backed party secured a sweeping victory in the country’s three-phase general election, according to state media, following the tightly controlled voting held amid civil war and widespread repression.The final of three rounds of voting last weekend wrapped up an election that began on December 28, more than four years after the military seized power in a coup that overturned the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Region on watch as India declares Nipah virus outbreak containedlist 2 of 4Bangladesh election: Is the military still a power behind the scenes?list 3 of 4China executes 11 linked to Myanmar scam operations: State medialist 4 of 4ASEAN does not recognise Myanmar’s elections ‘as of now’: Philippine FMend of listDominating all phases of the vote, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won an overwhelming majority in Myanmar’s two legislative chambers, state media reports.The USDP secured 232 of the 263 seats up for grabs in the lower house and 109 of the 157 seats announced so far in the upper chamber, according to results released on Thursday and Friday.A spokesman for the country’s military rulers, Zaw Min Tun, said Myanmar’s parliament is now expected to convene to elect a president in March, with a new government set to take over in April, according to a report in the pro-military Eleven Media Group.Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been in political turmoil since the 2021 coup, with the crushing of pro-democracy protests prompting a nationwide rebellion. Thousands have been killed, and about 3.6 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations.Local newspapers feature headlines covering the conclusion of Myanmar’s general election on January 26, 2026, in Yangon, Myanmar [Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images]‘Vote purely out of fear’The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has said it will not endorse Myanmar’s electoral process, and human rights groups and some Western countries have also expressed concerns about the credibility of the election.