Myanmar Declares Poll Results, ASEAN Withholds Recognition
China Backs Stability After Myanmar Poll Results
Naypyidaw/Beijing: Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has claimed a sweeping victory in the country’s first general election since the 2021 coup, with the Union Election Commission (UEC) formally releasing results in stages between January 29 and February 3, 2026, and wider media confirmation of the outcome emerging on February 4, 2026, triggering strong international criticism and renewed debate over the legitimacy of the process.
The election was conducted in three phases on December 28, 2025, January 11, 2026, and January 25, 2026. The UEC announced results from the final phase on January 29, 2026. The consolidated final list of elected representatives from all phases was announced on February 3, 2026, by the Union Election Commission, confirming a landslide victory for the USDP in the contested seats of the national legislature.
Wider media reporting of the full election outcome — confirming the victory of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party — appeared publicly on February 4, 2026, bringing the results into sharper international focus.
The Myanmar election commission reported that the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party won a landslide election, giving it a commanding position in the new parliament. Under Myanmar’s 2008 Constitution, the military automatically controls 25 per cent of parliamentary seats, ensuring that the armed forces and the USDP together will dominate the legislature and the next government formation process.
The polls were held amid an ongoing civil war between the military and pro-democracy resistance forces and ethnic armed groups controlling large parts of the country. Voting did not take place in several conflict-affected regions, effectively disenfranchising millions of citizens. Major opposition parties were dissolved, disqualified or boycotted the election. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide in the 2020 election before being overthrown by the coup, was barred from contesting after failing to re-register under strict new political party laws.z
International observers and rights organisations described the election as tightly controlled, marked by heavy military deployment at polling stations, limited political competition and uneven voter participation. Official figures placed turnout at just over half of eligible voters, though participation varied sharply across regions.
The outcome drew swift international reaction. The United Nations, several Western governments and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said the election lacked credibility and failed to meet basic standards for free and fair polls. ASEAN has declined to recognise the results and reiterated calls for an inclusive political dialogue and an end to violence.
Despite the criticism, Myanmar’s military leadership has moved to consolidate power through the new political arrangement. The newly elected parliament is expected to convene in the coming weeks and elect a president, after which a civilian-facing government backed by the armed forces will formally take office. The junta has also announced the creation of a powerful new consultative body aimed at preserving military authority over key national decisions even after the transition to an elected administration.
China, one of Myanmar’s most influential neighbours and diplomatic partners, issued a supportive statement following the declaration of the results. Asked whether the Foreign Ministry had any comment on the election outcome, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said:
“China supports Myanmar in following a development path that suits its national conditions, and supports the parties in Myanmar in realizing more broad-based, robust and sustainable peace and reconciliation and jointly maintaining political stability. China respects the choice of the people of Myanmar and will continue to provide constructive assistance for restoring peace, stability and development in Myanmar.”
Beijing’s response underscores its long-standing policy of non-interference and its emphasis on stability in a country that is strategically significant for regional connectivity and energy corridors.
Inside Myanmar, resistance groups and representatives of the shadow National Unity Government rejected the election, calling it a “sham” designed to legitimise continued military rule. Sporadic violence was reported during the polling phases, and security forces remained on high alert in major towns and cities.
Political analysts say the election outcome is unlikely to resolve Myanmar’s protracted crisis and may further entrench divisions between the military establishment and pro-democracy forces. With large sections of the population excluded from voting and most opposition voices silenced, the new parliament is expected to face persistent questions of legitimacy at home and abroad.
As Myanmar prepares to inaugurate its new legislature following the formal declaration of results on February 3 and global media confirmation on February 4, the election has reinforced concerns that the process represents not a return to democracy but a restructuring of military control under an electoral framework, even as conflict and international pressure continue unabated.
– global bihari bureau
