Four years after plunging Myanmar into chaos with a coup that toppled a democratically elected government, junta boss Min Aung Hlaing has urged his troops to back candidates “who can genuinely work for the benefit of the country” in the regime’s planned December election.
The regime chief was visiting military families in Kengtung, eastern Shan State, just days after reiterating his promise to hand over power to the winner of a poll widely condemned as a sham to entrench military rule.
The military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has emerged as the strongest contender for the December election, after the regime dissolved pro-democracy parties including the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the 2020 general election by a landslide, and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD).
Former Brigadier-General Khin Yi, chair of the USDP, said his party is ready for the election.
Observers said Min Aung Hlaing appears to have begun canvassing for the USDP, whose leadership is dominated by ex-military officers.
After winning only a few dozen seats in the 2020 election, the USDP helped lay the groundwork for Min Aung Hlaing’s coup by orchestrating minor parties to urge military intervention over allegations of voter fraud.
Khin Yi, then USDP vice chairman, organized pro-military rallies before and after the Feb. 1, 2021 coup to help legitimize the takeover.
The election was declared “largely free and fair” by international observers.
The USDP enjoys strong support in Shan State, where it won most constituencies in the 2015 election despite the NLD’s overwhelming national majority. Although the NLD narrowly reversed those losses in 2020, results showed the military’s proxy retained strong backing.
With competition from the NLD and SNLD removed, the USDP is likely to win a majority in December’s poll and dominate a rubber-stamp parliament, paving the way for Min Aung Hlaing to fulfil his long-held ambition of becoming president.
Under the 2008 junta-drafted Constitution, the Lower House (Pyithu Hluttw), Upper House (Amyotha Hluttaw), and military appointees each nominate a presidential candidate, which can be either a lawmaker or political outsider. The votes of military appointees, who hold 25 percent of seats in the legislature, and the USDP would be enough to secure the presidency for the coup leader.
As such, the USDP plays a pivotal role in Min Aung Hlaing’s presidential dream.
Western countries have joined the civilian National Unity Government, other anti-regime groups and the Myanmar public in rejecting any junta-organized election as a sham aimed at extending military rule.
Meanwhile, the junta’s key international allies, China and Russia, have backed the poll.
ASEAN chair Malaysia, however, has urged the regime to halt violence before conducting a vote.
“There’s no point having an election if it is partially participated in by people of Myanmar,” said Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan on Sunday.
Estimates suggest less than a quarter of Myanmar territory is under regime control, and the junta has admitted that its pre-poll census failed to count over 19 million of the 32.2-million population.
The regime has so far approved 54 political parties for participation in the election. Alongside the USDP, contenders with close ties to the junta include the People’s Party led by Ko Ko Gyi, People’s Pioneer Party led by Thet Thet Khaing, and Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party led by Sai Aik Pao. All three parties have been busy in recent weeks, holding press briefings and opening offices.
Campaigning will start three months before the election.
