After more than four years of a coup staged by the military, Myanmar will hold its first phase of long-delayed general elections on December 28. The announcement comes a few days after emergency was lifted in the Asian country and an interim government formed, with Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing holding the top spot.

Scheduled to be held on December 28, this would be Myanmar’s first national vote after the coup in February 2021. Myanmar’s Union Election Commission confirmed the date on Monday (August 18), describing the process as a “step-by-step” roadmap, with further phases to follow in December and January 2026.

Specific dates for subsequent rounds of voting will be announced later, due to security concerns.

Myanmar elections: Why the December vote matters?

First vote since the military deposed civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi and declared the state of emergency, the December elections in Myanmar matter. The latest announcement follows the partial lifting of the emergency rule in several regions, a move seen as preparation for the polls.

Since the February 2021 coup, Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict, with many areas being control by armed resistance groups such as the People’s Defence Force, the Arakan Army, and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army.

How many parties are contesting the elections?

According to country’s state media, a total of 55 political parties have registered for the elections, with nine contesting seats across the country. An additional six parties remain under review for approval.

However, opposition groups, including Suu Kyi’s party – National League for Democracy (NLD), have announced their decision to boycott the elections. Kyi’s party has denounced them as a ploy to legitimise military rule. Western governments have expressed some similar apprehensions that the polls are unlikely to be free or fair.

Challenges in Myanmar’s elections?

A newly formed interim administration has indicated plans to conduct voting in over 300 constituencies, including regions currently held by anti-junta forces. Yet logistical challenges persist. A nationwide census conducted last year to prepare voter rolls managed to reach only 145 of Myanmar’s 330 towns, raising doubts about the inclusivity and accuracy of the electoral process.

The last general election, held in November 2020, saw the NLD secure a landslide victory. The military later alleged widespread fraud, a claim rejected by independent observers such as the Asian Network for Free Elections and the Carter Center, who found no evidence that would have altered the outcome.

As Nay Pi Daw (Myanmar’s capital) prepares itself for its contentious electoral exercise, questions remain over the credibility of the process and the prospects for genuine democratic restoration in a nation still deeply fractured by conflict and military-led authoritarian rule.