Polls have closed in conflict-racked Myanmar, ending the first phase of an election that has been widely condemned as a sham designed to legitimise the military junta’s rule. The election has been condemned by western governments, but has support from China, which is the military’s most important ally. “It’s organised by the military; we can’t let our name be tarnished,” said Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup. Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights for Myanmar, described Sunday’s vote as a “theatre of the absurd”. The second phase of the vote will take place on 11 January, with a final round on 25 January.

Source: The Guardian December 28, 2025 17:01 UTC