CNI News

17 October 2023

A free and fair general election that will reveal the true desire of voters would be compulsorily held, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Administration Council. 

He said the above at the 8th Anniversary Celebration of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) that was held on 15th October 2023.

" Our government will inevitably continue to move towards a multi-party democratic system full of genuine discipline which the people have wanted. In order to do like that, we are making necessary preparations to hold a free and fair multi-party democratic general election. A free and fair general election that will be able to reveal the voters' true desire will be compulsorily held, which I want to tell seriously." said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

While the 2020 general election was being held

However, he did not tell exactly when the election will be held. Census-taking would be conducted in 2024 and after that, the election would be held, he had said.

" Those who claim to be working for democracy conducted voting fraud and chose the path of armed violence without solving the problem democratically. Some foreign countries that claim to be practicing and protecting democratic system are encouraging these armed terrorist attacks directly and indirectly, which is the opposite of democratic system. These are delaying to practice multi-party democratic system which Myanmar people have wanted. They are supporting a dictatorship in the name of democracy." said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

A general election was held in Myanmar in 2010 after which a civilian government led by U Thein Sein came to power. After the 2015 general election was held, the civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi came to power. 

While seeing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing

And then, when the 2020 general election was held, having said that the NLD government led by DASSK was trying to form a government without solving the ballot dispute, the Tatmadaw toppled down the NLD government on 1st February 2021 and has taken power.

After the Tatmadaw took power, the State Administration Council was formed and is carrying out administration, judiciary and legislation as well as to hold a general election again. After a general election is held, the State power will be handed over to the winning party, Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said.