Myanmar junta ends state of emergency, plans December elections under military supervision

Myanmar’s ruling military formally lifted the state of emergency on a status imposed since the February 2021 coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government.

The repeal allows the junta to proceed with national elections scheduled for December under a caretaker administration and a newly formed election commission.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who has held both the roles of interim president and military commander, continues to wield full power.

He now formally heads the 11-member commission overseeing the voting process, ensuring the military's influence permeates every stage of the transition.

The junta claims the elections are aimed at establishing a “multi‑party democracy”. A government spokesperson said: “The state of emergency is abolished today in order for the country to hold elections on the path to a multi‑party democracy."

Main opposition factions—including lawmakers ousted during the coup and the banned National League for Democracy (NLD)—have vowed to boycott the elections, believing the vote is a sham meant to legitimize continued military rule.

A UN expert has also called the proposed elections “a fraud” designed to reinforce junta dominance.

Analysts describe the shift as largely cosmetic, noting that while the emergency decree has ended, the power structure remains intact. Opposition parties are barred, voter registration is partial, and the junta retains control over electoral logistics.

Many regions of Myanmar remain beyond military control—resistance groups dominate, making a nationwide election logistically fragile. A census conducted last year failed to account for nearly 19 million people due to security constraints, underscoring how divided and inaccessible large portions of the country remain.

Western governments and election monitors have expressed deep skepticism toward the plan, warning that it may heighten conflict and erode democratic prospects.

Meanwhile, China has welcomed the end of the emergency, calling for peaceful resolution of internal differences via constitutional means