Military council leader Min Aung Hlaing has announced that elections will only be held at the end of this year or in January 2026, marking five years since the military coup. He made this announcement during a press conference after meeting with the President of Belarus on March 7th, where he is currently visiting. The military council leader stated that they are planning to hold elections at the earliest in December 2025 or January 2026.
According to military sources in Naypyidaw cited by the Yangon Modern News Agency, Min Aung Hlaing plans to serve a full five-year term as the head of the caretaker government. He has frequently mentioned that depending on his health condition and the country’s needs, he could continue serving for another term. Sources indicate that he intends to remain involved in political processes even after the elections. During the press conference in Belarus, Min Aung Hlaing revealed that 53 political parties have registered to participate in the military-controlled elections.
However, domestic and international human rights organizations and political analysts point out that since these elections will be held under military council control, they cannot be considered free and fair. The announcement of this extended timeline for elections represents a significant delay from previous promises made by the military council, which had initially suggested earlier dates for the electoral process. The military council’s continued control over the political process and its extension of power through such delays has raised serious concerns among democracy advocates and the international community about the prospects for genuine democratic transition in Myanmar.
