Myanmar's Military-Backed Party Seeks to Consolidate Power in Second Election Phase

Myanmar's ruling junta has organized a second phase of its election, with voting taking place in 100 townships across the country. The election, which has been rejected by several western governments and rights groups as lacking legitimacy, is seen as a bid by the military to maintain its grip on power. In the first phase, which was held last month, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) secured a significant lead, winning 89% of the seats announced so far. The USDP has secured 102 seats in the Lower House, 21 seats in the Upper House, and 108 seats in state and regional parliaments. The USDP's spokesman, Hla Thein, said the party is confident of winning the best results in all three phases of the election. However, opposition parties have raised concerns over irregularities, particularly involving advance voting. The United Nations and several western governments have condemned the election, citing the detention of opposition figures and their exclusion from the polls. Civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains in prison, and her National League for Democracy, which won the 2015 and 2020 elections by a landslide, has been dissolved and barred from contesting. The US has toned down its criticism, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying only that Washington remains "deeply concerned" over the Myanmar crisis. China, on the other hand, has continued to engage with the junta, with Chinese envoy Deng Xijun hailing the election as a success. The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, an independent group of human rights experts, has described the election as a "farce" engineered to ensure victory for the junta's proxy party. The group has called on governments to reject the election and engage with Myanmar's legitimate pro-democracy actors. The third and final phase of the general election is scheduled to take place on January 25. With the junta seeking to end its isolation and renew investments, the stakes are high for the ruling party. Myanmar's generals have access to vast rare-earth reserves and a strategic maritime corridor linking India and Southeast Asia.