The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on Thursday that the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won 44 out of 52 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw, or lower house of parliament, during the second phase of its 2025-26 elections on Jan. 11.
The UEC announcement does not include the results from one township in Tanintharyi Region, one in Magway Region, and four in Sagaing Region. The results in Shan State, Yangon and Ayeyarwady regions, were also not included by the UEC on Jan. 15.
It announced that the Mon Unity Party (MUP) won four seats, the National Unity Party (NUP) won two, while the Kachin State People’s Party (KSPP) and the Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP) won one seat each on Jan. 11.
Independent election analysts have highlighted a decrease in voter turnout compared to previous polls in 2020 and 2015, which were considered free and fair by international observers. These military-run elections have been called a “sham” by the U.N. and several Western countries.
Regime spokesperson Zaw Min Tun claimed that the ongoing election was a “success.” He told pro-military media on Jan. 11 that the regime will convene parliament in March and form a new government in early April. Analysts predict an overwhelming USDP win.
The second round of voting was held in 17 townships of Shan, five in Mon, three in Kachin, two in Karenni and two in Karen states, as well as in 16 townships of Yangon, 12 in Bago, 11 in Magway, 11 in Sagaing, nine in Ayeyarwady, nine in Mandalay, and three in Tanintharyi regions.
In Mon State, the USDP was upset by the MUP, which took Mudon, Thanbyuzayat, Ye and Paung townships, with the USDP only taking Bilin Township.
In Karen State, the USDP won Hpapun Township and the KNDP took Hlaingbwe Township. It also won two of three seats in Kachin State, which includes Waingmaw and Moekaung townships, with the KSPP taking Machanbaw Township. Another two seats went to the USDP in Karenni State’s Demoso and Hpruso townships.
The USDP won eight out of 11 seats in Magway Region, which includes Mindon, Minhla, Sinbaungwe, Seikphyu, Natmauk, Ngape, Salin and Kanma townships, with the NUP winning two seats in Myothit and Sidoktaya townships. The result from Gangaw Township was not included in the UEC statement on Jan. 15.
Thirty seats in Sagaing, Bago, Tanintharyi and Mandalay regions went to the USDP, according to the UEC.
This includes Sagaing’s Kalewa, Kyunhla, Myinmu, Chaung-U, Butalin, Ayadaw and Phaungpyin townships, Bago’s Daik-U, Shwekyin, Htantabin, Yedashe, Zekon, Paungte, Kawa, Thanatpin, Paukkhaung, Pantaung, Moenyo and Minhla townships, as well as Tanintharyi’s Kyunsu and Tanintharyi townships, and Mandalay’s Sinkai, Kyaukpadaung, Tada-U, Pyigyitakhon, Mahaaungmyay, Wandwin, Tharsi, Amarapura and Madaya townships.
A total of 146 seats in the Pyitthu Hluttaw were won by the USDP in the first two rounds of voting, according to the UEC. No results have been announced for the Amyotha Hlutaw, or upper house of parliament.
The UEC announced the names of all 168 candidates elected to the Pyithu Hluttaw during the first and second phases of the military elections, which were held in 202 townships on Dec. 28 and Jan. 11. The third and final phase will take place in an additional 63 townships on Jan. 25.
This includes 17 townships in Yangon, nine in Ayeyarwady, eight in Mandalay, eight in Bago, three in Tanintharyi, and two in Sagaing regions, as well as nine townships in Shan, five in Kachin, and two in Karen states, on Jan. 25.
Polls can’t be held in 65 townships nationwide due to ongoing conflict, while 16 townships will have polling stations in urban areas only, according to the UEC.
The USDP governed Myanmar from 2010-15 under a purported transitional military regime until it lost back-to-back general elections in 2015 and 2020 to Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which resulted in the 2021 military coup that ousted the NLD from government led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
The NLD was dissolved in 2023 by the military’s reformed UEC for not re-registering under the new Political Parties Registration Law despite the fact that senior NLD leaders, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, have been held in detention since the coup on Feb. 1, 2021.
NLD members have fled underground or into exile to avoid arrest by the military. The NLD and the National Unity Government (NUG), a group including several NLD lawmakers ousted in the coup, have declared the military election a “sham” and have called on citizens to boycott them.
The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), a group of international human rights experts, stated on Jan. 13 that the second phase of elections in Myanmar is only meant to legitimize military rule via its proxy USDP.
SAC-M called on the international community and the 11-member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reject the results of the military’s “fake” elections.
