Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is taking an early lead in the country’s first general election since the 2021 coup, according to partial results released by state media.

The vote comes amid low turnout, the detention of pro-democracy leaders, and international criticism.

Partial results for 56 constituencies released by the Union Election Commission (UEC) indicate that the USDP, led by retired generals, has secured 38 of 40 seats in the lower house, or Pyithu Hluttaw.

Other parties, such as the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (White Tiger Party) and the Mon Unity Party, won one seat each. In regional State Hluttaw races, the USDP claimed 14 of 15 contested seats, with the Akha National Development Party winning one. Only one seat has been declared for the upper house, Amyotha Hluttaw, which went to the Wa National Party.

Low turnout and limited opposition

The military junta reported that roughly 52% of eligible voters participated in the first phase, well below turnout of about 70% in 2020 and 2015, according to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.

The election excludes major opposition figures, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains detained after the 2021 coup. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) has been dissolved, and it is illegal to criticize the polls.

Controversy and criticism

The United Nations, several Western governments, and human rights organizations have criticized the election, warning that the process is tightly controlled by the military and lacks genuine political competition. Analysts suggest that any military-backed administration is unlikely to gain broad international recognition.

The junta insists that the three-phase vote, with further rounds on January 11 and 25, is intended to restore stability in the country, even as some townships remain outside full military control.