Military council leader Min Aung Hlaing has announced that their planned election will only be held in December 2025 or 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 7 during his visit to the country. The military leader also stated that 53 political parties have registered for the election.
According to military sources in Naypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing plans to serve a full five-year term as the head of the caretaker government. Sources indicate that he frequently mentions in meetings that he is still in good health and could continue serving another term if the country needs him, claiming the country still requires his leadership. Military sources suggest that he intends to remain involved in political processes even after the election.
The military council has repeatedly postponed the election since seizing power on February 1, 2021. Although they initially announced the election would be held in 2023, they cited ongoing armed conflicts across the country as the reason for postponement. Now they are planning to delay it for approximately two more years. Both domestic and international critics have pointed out that the military council’s planned election would not be a genuine democratic election but rather a means to maintain their power. The election, as planned by the military council, has been widely criticized as a tool for legitimizing their continued control rather than representing true democratic processes.
