The military junta will orchestrate its election victory through the military’s own political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
When the elections begin on 28 December 2025, more than 20 ministers and top leaders in the military junta will participate as candidates through the USDP. This includes both retired military generals and at least 11 serving generals currently holding senior positions in the military regime.
As of today 489 military officers of all ranks joined the USDP to overwhelmingly “win” these engineered elections.
While these military officers give the appearance of contesting the engineered elections as USDP candidates, the outcome is already guaranteed.
The Myanmar military’s insurance policy in the face of “democratic” elections has always been its guaranteed seats in parliament: seats reserved for the military.
In the Lower House, 110 of the 330 seats (30%) are up for election are reserved for the military. In the Upper House, 56 of the 168 seats (33%) up for election are reserved for the military.
So in addition to military generals and retired military generals running in the sham elections as USDP candidates, the military will also appoint senior military officers to its reserved seats.
