Myanmar parliament dominated by pro-military party convenes after 5 years

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Usaid SiddiquiMarch 16, 2026 at 11:55 AM

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Myanmar's parliament convened on Monday, March 16, 2026, for the first time since the 2021 coup. The opening follows elections held in December and January, which were dominated by the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) due to the exclusion of major opposition parties. The USDP won 339 seats, in addition to the 166 seats reserved for the military. Khin Yi, chairman of the USDP and a close ally of military ruler Min Aung Hlaing, was elected speaker of the lower house. A new Union Consultative Council will also be established, which experts believe will allow Min Aung Hlaing to maintain control over both the military and civilian government. The previous election in November 2020 resulted in a landslide victory for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, which the military rejected, leading to the coup.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Union Election Commission 40% Aung San Suu Kyi 50% National League for Democracy (NLD) 60% Khin Yi 60% 2021 coup 70% Min Aung Hlaing ×270% Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) ×480% Myanmar ×590%

Keywords

myanmar 100% parliament 90% military coup 80% elections 80% pro-military party 70% union solidarity and development party 60% min aung hlaing 50% political power 50% voter turnout 40% opposition parties 40%