Myanmar military-backed party leads in election’s first phase by wide margin

Having sparked a nationwide rebellion after crushing pro-democracy protests in the wake of its coup, the ruling junta has said the three-phase vote would bring political stability to the impoverished Southeast Asian ⁠nation.

Partial results from Myanmar’s first election since 2020, released by the Union Election Commission (UEC) for 56 constituencies, showed the junta-backed party winning by a wide margin as expected, despite thin turnout.

The results published on Friday show the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), led by retired generals, winning 38 of 40 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw, or lower house, whose outcomes have been ‍tallied.

The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, also known as the White Tiger Party and the Mon Unity Party (MUP), got one seat each.

Among ‍a diminished field of competitors hand-picked by the military, the USDP also won 14 seats of the 15 regional or State Hluttaw seats tallied in the first-past-the-post system, while the Akha National ‌Development Party took one.