Myanmar Holds 'Sham' Election Amid Civil War; Military Rule Set to Continue

• Myanmar held its first general election since the 2021 military coup, with critics widely labeling it a "sham" amidst an ongoing civil war.
• The vote is seen as an attempt to legitimize military rule, with the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party heavily favored and Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing expected to become president.
• Popular opposition parties, including Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD, were excluded or dissolved, and reports of voter intimidation by soldiers emerged.
• UN human rights expert Tom Andrews called the election "a theatre of the absurd performed at gunpoint," citing widespread repression and political detentions.
• Low voter turnout in some areas suggests a boycott, while 65 townships are not participating due to armed conflicts.

Why It Matters: Myanmar's military-orchestrated election is widely condemned as a sham to legitimize its ongoing rule.