CNI News

29 July 2025

Holding elections using two systems by the SAC could confuse the public, said the People's Pioneer Party Chairman Dr. Thet Thet Khaing at a party press conference held at Sedona Hotel, Yangon on July 28, 2025. 

There were differences of opinion among some major parties and ethnic parties regarding the electoral system, she said.

"As a party, we attend meetings invited by the UEC. There, we heard the voices of the parties. In my opinion, the USDP likes FPTP. But other smaller parties and the ethnic parties like PR. FPTP will be used for Pyithu Hluttaw and PR, for Amyotha Hluttaw and Region Hluttaw. These two systems will be used at the same time. I think it will confuse the public. If PR is used, parties only must be voted. Parties are responsible to select their representatives. The Ministry of Home Affairs must investigate whether a representative has committed a crime or committed fraud and the UEC must confirm," he said.

While the SAC Chairman was meeting with political parties

The Union Election Commission (UEC) told CNI News that the upcoming elections will be held under two systems: the first-past-the-post (FPTP) which was previously used and proportional representation (PR) systems. However, political parties are currently worried because some individuals recently experienced threat to their lives from some ethnic parties and the USDP.

That's why there are parties that want to use the PR system only because according to the system, people have to vote for parties without having to know who the candidates are and it is a system in which advantage and disadvantage are mixed.

Although the FPTP system was used in the 2015 general election, the public voted for the NLD party rather than its candidates, so voting for the party would be easier for the public to decide, said Dr. Thet Thet Khaing, chairperson of the People's Pioneer Party (PPP).

“The PR system has both good and bad sides. The good side is that it is more likely to hold elections successfully. And in terms of security, it is better for the candidates. However, the party has a greater responsibility. Parties have to choose their candidates or representatives. Parties have to inform the public of their policies. As the people, they have to elect parties only, depending on the leader and policies of a party. In 2015, the people voted for the NLD party rather than its candidates even though the FPTP system was used at that time. So, the PR is easier for the people to decide which party they will vote for, I think." she said.

The FPTP system is a system in which only the candidate who receives the most votes in a constituency is elected, while the PR system is an electoral system in which seats are proportionally distributed based on the number of votes received by a political party or individual.

Elections will be held in 267 townships in Myanmar, but all regions and states will be divided into phases according to a priority plan, except for areas where there are restrictions due to geographical conditions to hold elections, the UEC told CNI News.