Myanmar will hold special elections to fill parliamentary vacancies next April in its first vote since this year’s general election that critics said was designed to cement military rule.
The elections will fill vacancies left by elected representatives who took ministerial or government posts and will include areas previously unable to vote because of conflict. The vote is unlikely to change the balance of power in the national parliament currently controlled by the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, but it may provide a measure of public support for the parties contesting the vote.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, triggering widespread opposition. After security forces suppressed peaceful protests with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, plunging large parts of the country into conflict.
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