Myanmar’s military holds second phase of elections amid civil war

Polls have opened in 100 townships across the country, with the military claiming 52 percent turnout in the first round.Published On 11 Jan 2026Myanmar has resumed voting in the second phase of the three-part general elections amid a raging civil war and allegations the polls are designed to legitimise military rule.Polling stations opened at 6am local time on Sunday (23:30 GMT on Saturday) across 100 townships in parts of Sagaing, Magway, Mandalay, Bago and Tanintharyi regions, as well as Mon, Shan, Kachin, Kayah and Kayin states.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Video: What do Rohingya refugees think about Myanmar’s election?list 2 of 4Myanmar military reports 50 percent turnout in first election phaselist 3 of 4Abandoned Myanmar town shows problem of election in wartimelist 4 of 4Myanmar pro-military party claims huge lead in contentious electionsend of listMany of those areas have seen clashes in recent months or remain under heightened security.Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since the military ousted ⁠a civilian government in a 2021 coup and arrested its leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, leading to ​a civil war that has engulfed large parts of the impoverished nation of 51 million people.Aung San Suu Kyi’s ‍National League for Democracy party, which swept the last election in 2020, has been dissolved along with dozens of other antimilitary parties for failing to register for the latest polls.The election is taking place in three phases because of the ongoing conflict. The first phase unfolded on December 28 in 102 of the country’s 330 townships, while a third round is scheduled for January 25.Some 65 townships will not participate due to ongoing clashes.The military claimed a 52 percent voter turnout after the December 28 vote, while the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which analysts say is a civilian proxy for the military, said it won more than 80 percent of seats contested in the lower house of the legislature.Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station during the second phase of the general elections in Mandalay, central Myanmar, January 11, 2026 [Aung Shine Oo/AP Photo]“The USDP is on track for a landslide victory, which is hardly a surprise given the extent to which the playing field was tilted in ​its favour. This included the removal of any serious rivals and a set of ‌laws designed to stifle opposition to the polls,” said Richard Horsey, senior Myanmar adviser for Crisis Group.