Amid the civil war, polls are opening in Myanmar for the first time since a military coup 5 years ago

Voters went to the polls on Sunday in the first phase of Myanmar’s first national election in five years, which was held under the supervision of the military government as civil war raged across much of the country.

Critics suspect the election was designed to add legitimacy to military rule, which began after the military overthrew the government elected by Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. Her party won a landslide victory in the 2020 election but was barred from a second term.

In Yangon, the country’s largest city, Naypyitaw, the capital, and elsewhere voters cast their ballots in high schools, government buildings and religious buildings.

Critics say the results will fall short of legitimacy due to the exclusion of major parties, restrictions on freedom of expression and a repressive climate.

They argue that the expected victory of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party makes the democratic transition a chimera.

However, holding elections may provide an excuse for neighbors such as China, India and Thailand to continue their support, saying elections promote stability. The West has continued to punish Myanmar’s ruling generals for their anti-democratic actions and brutal war against their opponents.

Security was tight in Yangon on Saturday, with armed guards stationed outside polling stations and military trucks patrolling the streets. Election officials set up machines and installed voting machines, which are being used for the first time in Myanmar.

Although opposition parties and opposition parties had vowed to disrupt the election process, no major actions were taken.

Suu Kyi, the 80-year-old former leader of Myanmar, is not involved as she is serving 27 years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated. His party, the National League for Democracy, was disbanded in 2023 after refusing to register under the new military laws.

Other parties have also refused to register or refused to run under conditions they consider unfair, while opposition parties have called for voters to boycott.

Amael Vier, an analyst at the Asian Network for Free Elections, noted the lack of real choice, pointing out that 73 percent of voters in 2020 voted for defunct parties.

Mobilizing opposition is difficult under military repression. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 22,000 people have been arrested for political crimes, and more than 7,600 people have been killed by the military since they took power in 2021.

Armed resistance erupted after the military used lethal force to quell non-violent protests against the 2021 takeover. The civil war that followed left more than 3.6 million people homeless, according to the UN

The new Election Protection Act added stricter penalties and restrictions, banning all public criticism of voting.

UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk said Myanmar is witnessing intense violence and intimidation, noting that there are no principles for exercising freedom of expression or peaceful assembly.

In these circumstances, the military and its opponents believe that power is likely to remain with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the 2021 seizure of power.

Voting took place in three phases, with Sunday’s first round being held in 102 of Myanmar’s 330 townships. The second phase will take place on Jan. 11, and the third is Jan. 25. The final results are expected to be announced by the end of January.

Although more than 4,800 candidates from 57 parties are competing for seats in the national and regional legislatures, only six contestants across the country are likely to gain political power in Parliament.