Is Myanmar really shifting towards civilian rule?
Myanmar’s military leadership has set in motion a transition to a nominally civilian government — but the process is being driven almost entirely by the armed forces themselves.
The country convened its first parliament in more than five years this week following elections organised by the military, paving the way for junta chief Min Aung Hlaing to assume the presidency.
It is crucial to note, however, that the vote excluded major opposition parties, including the National League for Democracy, led by detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Min Aung Hlaing is expected to step down as commander-in-chief to comply with constitutional rules barring a president from holding both roles. General Ye Win Oo, a former military intelligence chief and long-time associate of the junta leader, has been promoted and is widely expected to take over the top military post.
Under the constitution, 25% of seats are reserved for the armed forces, while the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party won a large majority of the remaining seats in elections held in December and January.
Tom Andrews, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, has urged the international community to reject the election results and any political arrangements that follow, describing the process as an attempt by the military to legitimise its rule.
The political shift comes as Myanmar remains in conflict. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project and the UN Refugee Agency, nearly 93,300 people have been killed and 3.7 million displaced since the military seized power in February 2021. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says more than 30,600 people have been arrested since the coup, with about 22,500 still in detention.
An opposition shadow parliament formed by ousted lawmakers also held a parallel session this week, maintaining it is the country’s only legitimate legislature.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
