Myanmar regime shift from battlefield to ballots faces long odds

From inside a military base last week, Myanmar regime leader Min Aung Hlaing announced who he wanted voters to pick in Sunday’s general election, nearly five years after seizing power in a 2021 military coup.

“He suggested that during the upcoming election period, voters should choose candidates who can cooperate with the [military],” regime media reported.

The comments underline the regime’s attempts to hold on to power as it uses ballots to do what it couldn’t on the battlefield – cement its control over the country in the face of fierce armed resistance that has emerged since the coup, while gaining some international legitimacy for its rule.

But analysts and diplomats say the aim of establishing a stable administration in the Southeast Asian nation is far-fetched since the civil war is still raging, and a regime with a civilian veneer is unlikely to win many backers overseas.

“A new iteration of indirect military rule will do nothing to resolve the armed conflict or civil resistance, and Myanmar will remain mired in crisis,” said Richard Horsey, Senior Myanmar Adviser at International Crisis Group.