Ethnic political parties make gains in Sagaing Region, Mon and Rakhine states

The Naga National Party (NNP) beat its only rival, the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), in almost all parliamentary seats available for Leshi, Lahe and Nanyun townships in the Naga Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) of northern Sagaing Region, after ballots were allegedly counted following the end of the first phase of voting in the regime’s 2025-26 elections on Sunday.

An NNP party source told DVB on the condition of anonymity that his party will represent all Naga people in Myanmar in parliament. The NNP did not disclose the number of parliamentary seats it may have won.

A resident of Nanyun Township told DVB that he was concerned that the USDP and the regime in Naypyidaw could take retaliatory action against the Naga if the military-proxy party failed to win as the NNP has claimed.

Election results will be announced by the regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) following the conclusion of the final round of voting on Jan. 25, 2026.

Residents of the three townships in the Naga SAZ told DVB that 47,000 out of 67,000 eligible voters cast their ballots on Dec. 28. The Naga SAZ capital Lahe is located 587 miles (944 km) north of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa.

The first round of voting was held in 12 townships of Sagaing Region on Dec. 28. The second round of voting will take place on Jan. 11, 2025. Elections won’t be held in 12 of Sagaing’s 37 townships, according to the UEC.