Why is Myanmar’s military holding an election during a civil war?

Why is Myanmar holding an election?

The military ousted the elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup, just as it was preparing for a second term in office following a landslide election win months before.

The generals promised to restore the democratic system and accused Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party of electoral fraud, a charge that she rejected. International election monitors reported no irregularities.

Suu Kyi and much of the NLD were detained along with thousands of junta opponents.

Most analysts see the election as a way for the military, which has governed Myanmar for much of the past six decades, to entrench its rule via proxies in the absence of a viable political opposition, and earn legitimacy at home and abroad.

The military pledged an election by August 2023 but pushed back the date as it lost control of swathes of the country in battles with ethnic minority rebels and anti-junta militias.

The NLD was among dozens of parties dissolved for failing to register for the election and rebels refused to take part.