UPDATE 2-Myanmar election delivers victory for military-backed party amid civil war

Myanmar's military-backed party completed a sweeping victory in the country's three-phase general election, state media said, cementing an outcome long expected after a tightly controlled process held during civil war and widespread repression. The ‌final round of voting in late January concluded an election that began on December 28, more than four years after the military seized power in a coup that overturned the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The Union Solidarity and Development Party dominated all phases of the vote, winning an overwhelming majority in Myanmar's two legislative chambers.

Myanmar's military-backed party completed a sweeping victory in the country's three-phase general election, state media said, cementing an outcome long expected after a tightly controlled process held during civil war and widespread repression.

The ‌final round of voting in late January concluded an election that began on December 28, more than four years after the military seized power in a coup that overturned the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The Union Solidarity and Development Party dominated all phases of the vote, winning an overwhelming majority in Myanmar's two legislative chambers. It secured ⁠232 of the 263 seats up for grabs in the Pyithu Hluttaw lower house and 109 of the 157 seats announced so far in the Amyotha Hluttaw upper chamber, according to results released on Thursday and Friday.

PARLIAMENT EXPECTED TO ELECT PRESIDENT IN MARCH Myanmar's parliament is expected to convene in March to elect a president, with a new government set to take over in April, pro-military Eleven Media Group reported earlier this month, citing junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been in political turmoil since the ​coup, with the crushing of pro-democracy protests sparking a nationwide rebellion. Around 3.6 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations. CRITICS SAY MILITARY STILL IN CHARGE

The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has said it would not endorse ‍the process, and human rights groups and some Western countries have also denounced the election as a sham. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, which has muted its critiques of foreign elections in the second Trump administration, said it was monitoring the situation closely.

Washington "will assess the military regime's next steps, including whether it takes tangible measures to de-escalate violence, ease restrictions on civil and political freedoms, and allow humanitarian assistance to reach those in need." "We continue to call on all parties to enter into a meaningful dialogue to foster a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Burma while addressing fundamental questions relating to the political representation and participation of ⁠all people ‌in Burma," the spokesperson added, when asked for a reaction to the announced ⁠results.

The U.N. human rights office said that large segments of the population, including minorities such as the ethnic Rohingya, were excluded from voting since they lack citizenship or were displaced outside the country. It also said it has so far verified the death of at least 170 civilians from airstrikes during the ‍election period and about 400 arrests.

"Many people chose either to vote or not to vote purely out of fear," said U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk. Myanmar's military government insists the polls were free and fair, and supported by the public. It has not responded to Reuters requests for comment ​on electoral violence.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy was dissolved along with dozens of other parties, and some others declined to take part, drawing condemnation from critics who say the process was designed to entrench military rule. Under Myanmar's ⁠political system, the military is also guaranteed 25% of parliamentary seats, ensuring continued control even after power is formally transferred to a civilian-led administration.

PROXY FOR THE ARMED FORCES The USDP was founded in 2010 after decades of military-led rule in the Southeast Asian country, with the aim of serving as a proxy for the armed forces, also ⁠known as the Tatmadaw.

The party is chaired by a retired brigadier general and packed with other former high-ranking officers. It contested the poll with 1,018 candidates, a fifth of the total registered. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing is also expected to play a central role in the next administration. He has defended the polls as a step towards stability, rejecting criticism from opponents and foreign governments and affirming that state responsibilities would be transferred to the elected government.

"Regardless of any changes among political parties or organisations in ⁠the country, Tatmadaw continues to carry out its responsibilities for national defence and security faithfully and without neglect up to the present day," he was quoted by state media as saying on Monday. TURNOUT DOWN AS FIGHTING HALTS VOTES

Turnout reached around ⁠55% over all three phases, lower than the figure of around 70% ‌in previous elections, including a 2015 vote that brought Suu Kyi to power, as well as the ill-fated 2020 poll, the results of which were cancelled by the junta before staging the coup. Voting took place in 263 of Myanmar's 330 townships, some of which are not under the complete control of the junta.

It was cancelled in many areas due to fighting between ⁠the military and armed ethnic groups, as well as local resistance forces that emerged after the 2021 coup.

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