CNI News
25 November 2025
A political analyst told CNI News that if the majority of the public becomes interested in and votes in the upcoming multi-party democratic general election in Myanmar, it could pose a danger to the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
“Right now, many people are not very interested in the election. Those who are interested are mostly USDP supporters or military supporters. Only people who support USDP seem to be engaged and ready to vote. Many people are saying that this lack of public interest is actually good for the USDP. Why? Because if people stay uninterested, USDP will likely win. The votes that come in will mainly be theirs. But if the majority of the public becomes interested in the election and turns out in large numbers, that becomes dangerous for them. A high turnout would likely mean more votes against them. This is very different from times when the NLD was participating.”, he said.
USDP party
The first phase of the election will be held on December 28, 2025, four years after the political changes that occurred in 2021.
Phase (2) will take place on January 11, 2026, and two weeks later Phase (3) will follow, according to Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the National Defense and Security Council, who announced this on November 10.
This year’s election will not be conducted solely under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system, which was previously used in all elections since independence in 1947. Instead, two systems will be mixed: FPTP and Proportional Representation (PR).
Military and political analysts believe that this election—which will be held after more than four years of political crisis—could mark a turning point toward resolving Myanmar’s political problems.
However, a political analyst told CNI News that the election will not have a significant impact on the ongoing widespread armed conflicts.
Political parties meeting
“I don’t think the election will have much effect on the armed conflicts. The main external influence on these conflicts comes from China. Because of China’s involvement, it could also lead to political disagreements and fragmentation in practical cooperation between the ‘Three Brotherhood Alliance’—TNLA, MNDAA, and AA—was able to seize large territories during Operation 1027 and NUG-PDF forces. But I don’t think the election itself will have a major impact on the armed conflicts.”, he said.
Of the total 5,023 parliamentary candidates in this election, 86 candidates have been disqualified for not meeting legal requirements.
The National League for Democracy (NLD), Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), and Arakan National Party (ANP)—all of which hold strong public support—are not participating in this election.
As a result, the public shows little interest or enthusiasm in voting, putting USDP in a favorable position.
