Sat Jan 03 10:01:26 UTC 2026: Okay, here’s a summary of the article followed by a rewritten version as a news article:
Summary:
Myanmar’s military-appointed election body has begun announcing results from the first phase of its three-part general election, held on December 28, 2025. As anticipated, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is claiming a majority of the seats. Critics are denouncing the election as a sham designed to legitimize the existing military regime, citing the exclusion of major parties, repression of dissent, and a lack of fairness. The USDP is claiming victory in a large number of constituencies. The election is being conducted in phases due to ongoing armed conflicts. The NLD party was dissolved in 2023 and widespread popular opposition has grown into a civil war.
News Article:
Myanmar’s Military-Backed Party Claims Victory in First Phase of Contested Elections
Bangkok, January 3, 2026 – Myanmar’s Union Election Commission (UEC), appointed by the military government, has started announcing results from the first phase of the country’s general election, with the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) claiming a significant victory.
The USDP claims it has already secured 88 out of the 102 seats contested in the initial round, including a win for party leader Khin Yi in his Naypyitaw constituency. The UEC has officially announced 38 seats won by the USDP in the 330-seat lower house. The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party and the Mon Unity Party each secured one seat.
The three-phase election process, with the first phase held on December 28, 2025, has been widely condemned by opposition groups and international observers as a thinly veiled attempt by the military junta to legitimize its rule. Critics point to the exclusion of major political parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD) and ongoing repression of dissent as proof the election is neither free nor fair.
The NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, which won in a landslide in 2020, was dissolved in 2023.
The military government reported a 52% turnout among eligible voters in the first phase, a figure they touted as a success.
The election is being conducted in three phases due to ongoing armed conflicts, with the next rounds scheduled for January 11 and January 25, 2026. However, voting will not occur in 65 of Myanmar’s 330 townships due to continued fighting.
Since ousting the elected government in February 2021, the military takeover has triggered widespread opposition and escalated into a civil war. The legitimacy and outcome of the current election remain highly disputed.
First Piper 