Military council leader Min Aung Hlaing has announced during his visit to Belarus that elections will only be held at the end of 2025 or January 2026, marking five years since the military coup. He made this statement during a press conference following his meeting with the President of Belarus on March 7.
According to military sources in Naypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing plans to serve a full five-year term as the head of the caretaker government and has frequently indicated that he could continue serving additional terms based on his health condition and the country’s needs. The sources suggest that he intends to maintain a political role even after the elections. During the press conference in Belarus, Min Aung Hlaing also revealed that 53 political parties have registered for the military council’s planned election.
While Min Aung Hlaing claims that 53 political parties have registered for the military council’s election, political analysts point out that this election is merely an attempt to legitimize military rule and does not meet the standards for free and fair elections nor reflect the will of the people. The military council, which seized power on February 1, 2021, overthrew the democratically elected government and continues to commit acts of violence against civilians to this day. The planned election is widely viewed as a mechanism to extend military control rather than a genuine democratic process.
