Ethnic parties secured just 15 percent of nationwide seats in the junta-held election, according to Burma News International (BNI)’s election research report.
In the three-round election held between December last year and January this year, 29 ethnic parties contested and won a total of 155 seats, securing only 15 percent of the overall seats.
The Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), also known as the White Tiger Party, and the Pa-O National Organisation (PNO) won the most seats among ethnic parties, securing 39 and 18 seats respectively.
Voter turnout also declined significantly in the latest election, falling from about 38 million voters in 2020 to just over 24 million in the recent poll.
The junta failed to open polling stations in many constituencies, leaving more than 13 million people—around 35 percent of the country’s population—disenfranchised. Of the remaining eligible voters, only about 54 percent cast ballots. Those disenfranchised included people whose home constituencies lacked polling stations and those displaced by conflict. BNI also condemned the junta’s election as illegitimate and a sham.
Myanmar has 330 townships, but voting took place in only 263, with the remaining 67 holding no polls at all. Even in the 263 townships where voting occurred, many constituencies lacked open polling stations.
The junta-controlled Union Election Commission (UEC) acknowledged that elections could not be held in 56 townships because resistance forces controlled these areas or intense fighting occurred.
