Naypyidaw, Feb 4 (.) Myanmar’s military-backed union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has claimed an overwhelming victory in the junta-organised national election, securing more than 72% of the contested seats, according to official results released by the union Election Commission (UEC).
The polls, which were held in three phases, began on December 28, 2025, with the second phase occurring on January 11, and the final phase ending in January 25 across 263 townships.
The vote has been widely dismissed both domestically and globally as illegitimate, as it took place while all other democratic civilian leaders had been jailed — including former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi — while the junta had dissolved major opposition parties, most notably the National League for Democracy, the USDP’s chief rival before the 2021 coup, leaving no playing field for any other contesting party.
According to the UEC, the union Solidarity and Development Party won 739 of the 1,025 seats contested across all participating legislatures.
In the run-up to the election, at least six regime officials and around 30 serving or former military officers were transferred to the USDP by coup leader Gen Min Aung Hlaing, enabling them to contest seats under the party’s banner.
The National Unity Party, successor to the former ruling Burma Socialist Programme Party, clocked in at a distant second with 68 seats. Several smaller and ethnic-based parties followed suit, with the Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party securing 39 seats, the People’s Party winning 30, and the People’s Pioneer Party winning 20.
Other ethnic parties won multiple seats, including the Pa-O National Organisation (18), Mon Unity Party (17), Naga National Party (12), Arakan Front Party (8), Karen National Democratic Party (7) and Zomi National Party (7). The remaining 60 seats were split among 21 smaller parties and one independent candidate.
Despite the electoral gains of other parties, several of their high-profile figures failed to win their respective races, including leaders from the People’s Party, Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party, Arakan Front Party, Federal Democratic Party and Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party.
Massive controversy also erupted following the disqualification of People’s Pioneer Party leader Dr Thet Thet Khine, a former regime minister, who was barred from contesting in October due to the alleged non-payment of several personal debts, which in total amount to nearly 100 billion kyats (about $47.6 million).
Several parties have accused the USDP of manipulating advance votes, but the UEC rejected the claims, insisting the process complied with electoral law.
Speaking at the National Defence College in Naypyitaw on February 3, Gen Min Aung Hlaing claimed vote tampering was impossible and said 13.13 million of Myanmar’s roughly 24 million eligible voters had cast ballots, putting the total voter turnout at 54.22%.
International reaction has been highly critical, with the UN, democracy observers, and rights groups outright rejecting the polls, noting them to be neither free nor fair.
Similarly, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has refused to recognise the polls, saying it does not endorse the outcome, while UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews warned in January that “only an illegitimate government can emerge from an illegitimate election,” urging the international community to dismiss the junta-run poll.
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