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| Elections in Myanmar | |
|---|---|
| Name | Myanmar |
| Native name | မြန်မာ |
| Capital | Naypyidaw |
| Largest city | Yangon |
| Official languages | Burmese |
| Government | SLORC (historical), SAC (current) |
| Legislature | Pyidaungsu Hluttaw |
| Upper house | Amyotha Hluttaw |
| Lower house | Pyithu Hluttaw |
| Constitution | 2008 Constitution of Myanmar |
| Established | 1947 |
Elections in Myanmar are the processes by which representatives to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, regional legislatures, and executive offices have been selected since the colonial and postcolonial eras. Myanmar's electoral history links to events including the elections of 1947, the 1962 coup, the 8888 Uprising, the 1990 election, the 2010 election, the 2015 election, and the 2020 election. Electoral processes have been shaped by instruments such as the Election Commission frameworks and the 2008 Constitution.
Elections trace to the 1947 Constitution and the premiership of U Nu leading into independence from the British Raj and the Panglong Agreement. The 1951–52 elections and the 1956 election occurred under the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League. The 1962 Burmese coup d'état led by Ne Win suspended multiparty contests until the 8888 Uprising catalyzed political change, electoral promises, and the eventual 1990 Burmese general election, which produced a landslide for the National League for Democracy but was nullified by the State Law and Order Restoration Council. The 2010 Myanmar general election initiated a quasi-civilian transition involving Thein Sein and the Union Solidarity and Development Party, followed by the 2015 Myanmar general election victory for Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD. The 2021 Myanmar coup d'état by the Tatmadaw and leadership of Min Aung Hlaing interrupted the post-2010 trajectory and affected the status of the Union Election Commission.
Myanmar uses a mixed first-past-the-post system for the Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw, with a portion of seats reserved for the Tatmadaw under the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar. The Union Election Commission is the central administrative body, structured by provisions adopted during the Thein Sein administration and amended under subsequent regimes including the State Administration Council. Constituency delineation reflects divisions of States and Regions of Myanmar and the Naypyidaw Union Territory. Electoral law interfaces with the 1990 Election Commission Act legacies, the Political Parties Registration Law, and regulations stemming from military-backed amendments. Voter rolls, ballot design, polling station management, and result tabulation involve civil servants drawn from offices such as the Ministry of Home Affairs and local Township Administration.
Political competition has featured parties including the National League for Democracy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, the National Unity Party, the Mon National Party, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, the Rakhine National Party, the Arakan Liberation Party, and ethnic-based organizations such as the Karen National Union in various forms. Prominent figures have included Aung San Suu Kyi, Than Shwe, Min Aung Hlaing, U Nu, Ne Win, Win Myint, Htin Kyaw, and regional leaders like Sai Hla Kyaw. Candidate vetting and eligibility have been governed by constitutional clauses affecting individuals tied to foreign spouses or offices, referencing cases involving Aung San, Ba Maw, and family connections to historic leaders. Party alliances, splits, and coalitions have been influenced by accords such as the Panglong Agreement and negotiations with the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement signatories.
Electoral conduct has been punctuated by allegations of fraud, vote suppression, disqualification of candidates, and military interference exemplified in disputes after the 1990 Burmese general election and criticisms following the 2010 Myanmar general election and the 2020 Myanmar general election. Controversies include manipulation of constituency boundaries akin to gerrymandering controversies in other states, misuse of state resources observed under Than Shwe-era administrations, and targeted disenfranchisement of minorities such as the Rohingya conflict-affected populations. High-profile legal cases and administrative orders involving the Union Election Commission and courts have sparked protests reminiscent of the Saffron Revolution and the 2015 protests. International NGOs and local civil society groups such as Avaaz-linked campaigns and the Myanmar Centre for Human Rights have documented irregularities tied to security operations by the Tatmadaw and policing by forces loyal to the State Administration Council.
Voter registration relies on civil registers maintained in Naypyidaw and regional seats including Yangon Region and Mandalay Region, with outreach efforts in ethnic states like Kachin State and Kayin State. Turnout has varied: high participation in the 1990 Burmese general election era contexts, contested turnout figures in 2010 Myanmar general election reporting, surge patterns during the 2015 Myanmar general election linked to the NLD wave, and disruptions in the 2020 Myanmar general election period in conflict zones. Barriers to registration have included citizenship documentation issues under the 1982 Citizenship Law (Myanmar), displacement from conflicts involving groups like the Arakan Army and Kachin Independence Army, and administrative closures mandated by emergency decrees under the State Law and Order Restoration Council and the State Administration Council.
Election outcomes have produced governments ranging from the AFPFL cabinets post-1947, to military-backed administrations under Ne Win and Than Shwe, to quasi-civilian cabinets led by Thein Sein and Htin Kyaw, and the NLD-led administration with Aung San Suu Kyi as State Counsellor. Results shape legislative majorities in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and the appointment of the President of Myanmar via parliamentary college mechanisms defined by the 2008 Constitution. Policy changes following elections have affected peace negotiations with ethnic armed organizations, economic liberalization initiatives involving ASEAN integration, and foreign relations with actors like China, India, United States, United Kingdom, and Japan.
International observers have included delegations from the European Union, the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations in historical contexts, as well as observer missions from countries such as Norway, USAID-linked partners, and regional bodies like ASEAN. Reactions to disputed outcomes have entailed statements by the UN Human Rights Council, sanctions by the United States Department of the Treasury and the European Council, and diplomatic démarches by embassies in Yangon and Naypyidaw. International legal forums and human rights bodies including the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice have engaged with consequences of electoral crises and associated human rights issues stemming from contested mandates and security operations.
Category:Politics of Myanmar Category:Elections by country