The military junta in Myanmar has announced that the 2025 general election will be held in phases rather than on a single day. This information was shared during a meeting between the junta’s election commission and various political parties on August 24, 2024. The commission also revealed that they are not yet convinced about implementing a Proportional Representation (PR) system for the election.
A senior member of the Mon Progress Party, who attended the meeting, disclosed that the election commission plans to conduct the election in different phases, depending on the security situation in various regions.
“The commission is striving to organize the 2025 election in phases, but many of us in the political parties believe it will be difficult to achieve,” the member said. He also mentioned that the commission’s chairperson has not yet made a final decision on adopting the PR system.
No clear details were provided regarding the exact method that will be used to conduct the election. With the election approaching, all political parties have been urged to prepare and engage in regular discussions with the election commission. The junta has committed to facilitating these meetings.
During the meeting, discussions were also held about how to enable displaced people, both within and outside the country, to vote in the upcoming election. Additionally, political parties that have recently registered were instructed to ensure their operations are comprehensive and aligned with party regulations.
On August 23, 2024, the junta’s National Solidarity and Peace Negotiation Committee (NSPNC) and various political groups discussed the security measures necessary to ensure the successful conduct of the election. Currently, there are 49 political parties registered to compete in the junta’s planned election, including 9 national parties and 40 regional parties.
In Mon State, the junta’s immigration department has begun collecting population data, and government officials are already receiving training to prepare for the upcoming election.
