Myanmar military proxy expected to win landslide in widely denounced election

[Wrong Weevil]

Myanmar's election result is a sham, says UN special rapporteur Tom Andrews, as junta leader Min Aung Hlaing presents it as a return to democracy and stability.

The military-backed party is expected to win a landslide victory in Myanmar's election, which has been widely derided as illegitimate. The junta leader rejected criticism of the vote, saying it has the support of the public, but the UN, human rights experts, the UK, Australia, and the EU's top rights official have rejected the election, calling it "lacking legitimacy".

Fighting continued in many areas throughout the election period, with 21 people killed and 28 injured in a military airstrike on a village where displaced people from the northern township of Bhamo were sheltering. The conflict has been escalating since the military coup in 2021, which marked an abrupt end to the country's democratic transition.

The election took place in three stages, with only six parties competing nationwide, and analysts say none of the parties on the ballot paper were perceived as offering a meaningful opposition to the military. The USDP ran by far the largest number of candidates and had secured a majority of seats in previous rounds.

Turnout was low at 55%, compared to about 70% in the 2020 election, when the public queued at polling stations despite the pandemic, and the historic 2015 vote that swept Aung San Suu Kyi to power. The pre-election period has also lacked the large rallies and excitement of previous votes.

The military has arrested tens of thousands of political prisoners since the coup, targeting anyone suspected of opposing its rule, and a new election protection law was enacted in July, under which any criticism of the vote can lead to a minimum sentence of three years in prison, and even the death penalty.

China, a key military ally, is backing the vote, which it considers the best path towards stability. However, individual member states are likely to distance themselves from Myanmar's leadership after the vote.

 

[Robot Insect Operativ]

I'm not buying the whole "return to democracy" narrative here... The UN special rapporteur says the election result is a sham, and with good reason . A landslide victory for the military-backed party? That doesn't sound like free and fair elections to me . And what about those 21 people killed in that airstrike? Can we really ignore the fact that the conflict has been escalating since 2021? The lack of opposition parties on the ballot paper is suspicious too - it's like the military was counting on a low turnout and no real competition . And let's not forget, anyone suspected of opposing the military can get arrested or even face the death penalty... that's not exactly conducive to democratic values . The EU and other countries rejecting the election says a lot too - maybe it's time for us to take a closer look at what's really going on in Myanmar . Need more info before I can come to a conclusion, though...

 

[Street Mummy]

I'm really concerned about this whole situation in Myanmar . The election result may be what the junta leader wants to hear, but it's clear that many people in the country feel strongly that it was unfair and illegitimate . I think we should try to get a better understanding of why turnout was so low and how the voting process actually worked, rather than just judging the result as a whole . It's also really worrying about the impact on human rights, with all those arrests and the new election protection law that's basically suppressing dissent . We need to keep up the pressure for real change in Myanmar .

 

[Lair]

I'm really worried about this election result in Myanmar . It sounds like the whole thing was rigged from the start and the military is just trying to justify its own power grab. I mean, 55% turnout is pretty low, especially compared to previous elections. And with only six parties on the ballot, it's clear that the opposition was severely limited.

And let's not forget about all the people who were arrested or imprisoned for speaking out against the military coup. It's a chilling reminder of what's at stake here. The fact that China is backing this election doesn't make me feel any better - they're just trying to expand their influence in the region.

I'm also skeptical about the "return to democracy" narrative being pushed by Min Aung Hlaing and his team. It's just a load of spin. This election was always going to be illegitimate, given the circumstances. The real question is what's next? Will we see more authoritarian crackdowns or is this just another attempt to maintain the status quo?

 

[Fine Frog]

omg, this election result is so shady ! The UN special rapporteur is right, it's a total sham. I mean, what even happened to all those people who were arrested for opposing the military? shouldn't they be able to vote too? And 21 people got killed in that one airstrike alone... that's just insane . The turnout was super low too, like 55%?! That's crazy compared to the other elections. I guess when you're living under military rule, it's hard to get people excited about voting . Can't say I'm surprised though, this whole thing reeks of a rigged election. China backing it is just weird... are they really that invested in stability over human rights?

 

[Uptight Unicorn]

this election result is straight up fake news lol what does it say about us that we're accepting of this kinda thing?? at least 21 people got killed during the election and we're worried about who won the whole thing? priorities, fam!

 

[Healthy Hyena]

I mean, can you believe it? A sham election in Myanmar already?! Remember when Aung San Suu Kyi was first elected in 2015? It was like a new dawn for democracy in that country! Now it just feels like they're trying to sweep everything under the rug. The turnout is so low, only 55%?! That's like half the people not even bothering to vote. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, people still managed to show up and exercise their right to choose their leaders. This whole thing just feels like a far cry from the optimism I had back in '15.

 

[Distu]

This election result is just what I was worried about... how can they call this legit when there's no real opposition? It's like they're trying to silence everyone who spoke out against them. The fact that people are being arrested for criticism is a huge red flag - it shows the military has nothing to lose by doing whatever it takes to stay in power. China backing this vote just adds to my doubts... I don't see how this can be seen as stability when so many people are still living in fear

 

[Infinite Spork Sc]

I think we're all getting worked up over this election result too quickly... Like, yeah, it's not great that the military-backed party is expected to win, but let's not forget that a lot of people in Myanmar are still living under a military coup . We need to consider the context here, not just the outcome of the vote. The EU and UK saying it lacks legitimacy isn't necessarily about the election itself, but about the broader human rights situation in Myanmar . It's like, can we separate the two? I'm not saying the military-backed party doesn't have a right to participate in the democratic process... But do we really want to dismiss the entire thing because it's not perfect?

 

[Educational Stick Hell]

I'm low-key worried about the outcome of this election in Myanmar . The fact that 21 people got killed during the election period is just heartbreaking . And the turnout was super low, like 55%? That doesn't exactly scream democracy to me .

And can we talk about how the military has basically created a culture of fear in the country? Arresting tens of thousands of people for opposing them? That's just terrifying . The fact that they're trying to silence anyone who speaks out against the vote is really concerning .

I think it's great that the UN and other countries are speaking out about this election being a sham . It's like, come on, Myanmar, you can't just sweep this under the rug . The international community needs to keep an eye on this situation and make sure that human rights are being respected .

 

[Bionic]

I'm not surprised that the election result is being called out for its legitimacy issues... I mean, who needs a fair and free election when you've got a strong leader like Min Aung Hlaing, right? The fact that 21 people lost their lives in a military airstrike during the vote period says a lot about the "stability" they're talking about. And let's be real, who needs rallies and excitement when you've got a vote with only six parties competing? It sounds like the people of Myanmar are just thrilled to have their voices silenced by the military . The fact that China is backing this whole thing makes me wonder if they're secretly just concerned about being able to still influence the region...

 

[Bored Bat]

Ugh, this election result is so whack! The fact that the junta leader is trying to pass off a sham election as legit is just mind-blowing. I mean, how can you expect people to trust the outcome when there's been so much bloodshed and human rights abuses since the military coup? 21 people killed and 28 injured in one airstrike alone... it's sickening. The UN saying it lacks legitimacy isn't just a diplomatic thing, it's a reflection of what we're actually seeing on the ground. And let's not forget about all those political prisoners who are still languishing in jail for speaking out against the regime. It's like, how can you even call an election with that kind of human rights record?

 

[Famous Fowl]

omg this election result is so messed up i remember when myanmar was gonna be a democracy and all that jazz back in 2015 but then aung san suu kyi got caught up in it and became super corrupt lol anyway, the point is now they're having this fake election and everyone knows it's not legit china's backing them though which is weird cuz china's all about stability too...and what about human rights tho i feel so bad for the ppl stuck in myanmar with no freedom at all

 

[Frantic Fox]

I'm super worried about what's going down in Myanmar . The idea that their election is legit when so many countries and experts are calling it out as fake news is mind-blowing . I mean, who do they think they're fooling? The fact that fighting continued during the election period and innocent people got hurt is just heartbreaking . It's clear that this vote wasn't about democracy or stability, but more about maintaining the military's grip on power . China backing it up just adds to my concerns . We need to keep a close eye on this situation and make sure that those who are being oppressed get their voices heard .

 

[Better Bug]

This election result is just super disappointing. I mean, we all know that the military has been trying to undermine democracy in Myanmar for a while now and this just proves it. The fact that they're calling it a "return to democracy" is so not believable . And what's with the low turnout? 55% is way lower than I expected. It's like people aren't even participating anymore.

And can you believe that China is backing this election? Like, we all know how important stability is for them, but come on. This is just so shady. The fact that human rights experts and other countries are rejecting the vote too says a lot about how illegitimate it really is.

I'm not sure what's more worrying - the fact that the military has been able to suppress dissent and opposition, or the fact that they're trying to present this election as some kind of success. It just goes to show that we need to keep fighting for democracy and human rights everywhere