The military council’s election commission announced on September 9 the dissolution of four political parties. The dissolved parties include the National Democratic Force Party (NDF), National Political Democratic Party (DNP), Women’s Party (Mon), and the Union Farmers and Workers Force Party. Among these parties, the NDF was dissolved for failing to meet the required number of party members, while the others were dissolved for not meeting the required number of party offices.
The dissolution of the NDF party came particularly after its Vice Chairman Chandra Min made boastful statements on social media. On September 8, Chandra Min announced that the NDF had received an overwhelming number of party membership applications and candidate nominations, claiming they had secured candidates for all constituencies in Yangon Region except for Coco Island. Chandra Min had previously transferred from the NLD party to the NDF.
Among the other dissolved parties, the National Political Democratic Party (DNP) was led by former Presidential Office Minister and former Deputy General Soe Maung, who was known as a close associate of former dictator Than Shwe. Among the dissolved parties, both DNP and the Women’s Party (Mon) had planned to compete nationwide, while the Union Farmers and Workers Force Party had planned to compete only at the regional/state level.
Following the dissolution of these four parties, the number of parties eligible to compete nationwide in the military council’s planned election has decreased from 9 to 6. The remaining parties are the Union Solidarity and Development Party, People’s Party (Thet Thet Khine), People’s Party (Ko Ko Gyi), National Unity Party, Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (Sai Aik Pao), and the Federal Democratic Party (Kyaw Swa Soe).
