General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar’s military junta (the State Administration Council (SAC)), is determined in his belief in organizing elections in 2025, despite the fact that resistance groups are effectively gaining ground in the midst of an ongoing civil war. As reports stated the resistance forces now effectively control significant parts of the country, particularly in ethnic states such as Chin, Kachin, Karenni, and Rakhine.

General Min Aung Hlaing’s decision to bring about the election was motivated by two factors. Initially, the election could make him the legitimate president of Myanmar. Secondly, the election serves as a mechanism for the military to maintain its authority.

The election committee was reformed and new election laws were enacted as part of the election process. The National League for Democracy (NLD), which was ousted from power, is now boycotted and has refused to re-register for the upcoming election. Thus, in this election, only political parties affiliated with the military alliance re-registered to participate. This scheduled election is supported by other military-linked groups, including civil society organizations (CSOs), militias, and the signatory groups of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Additionally, certain countries, including India, China, Russia, and Thailand, consented to endorse the election.

However, critics view that this election is not only expected to extend the military’s authority but also to create a deadlock for the federal democracy system, which negatively impacts the resistance organizations.

The main concern regarding this election is whether the planned election will result in the resolution of the country’s problems and the creation of peace, or whether it will result in a reform of the current government and its three pillars—an executive, a legislature, and a judiciary—or the abolition of the current government and its system.

Why is this issue important? Historically, elections were used as evidence that the military must stay in power. Notably, the 1990 election resulted in the military’s State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) remaining in power under a new name, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The military gained control in the 2010 election after transforming their uniforms. The most recent election concluded in a military coup in 2021.

This shows that the military’s sole motivation for organizing all of these elections was to ensure that they would achieve the results they wanted. The upcoming election is merely another game for the military to expand its authority.

Accordingly, the election will not be free and fair, as the opposition parties and the ousted government were not legitimated for this election and the greater part of the country is currently in conflict, which prohibits them from participating. In addition, will there be a guarantee that political dialogue can take place following the election?

The aforementioned factors must be considered by those involved in this planned election in order to avoid stumbling into the military’s snare for their protracted power.