Voting starts in Myanmar's first phase of general elections

Myanmar kicked off the first phase of its 2025 multiparty democratic general elections on Sunday.

The general elections are scheduled to be held in three phases, with the second phase set for January 11, 2026, followed by the third phase on January 25.

The elections will cover 692 constituencies across the country. About 5,000 candidates from 57 political parties are competing for seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house), Amyotha Hluttaw (upper house), and state and regional Hluttaws (state and regional parliaments).

The elections will produce the elected members of the Union Parliament (Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw) and state and regional parliaments; the new Union Parliament will then elect a new president, who will form a new Union Government.

According to the Union Election Commission, 21,517 polling stations have been set up nationwide for the general elections.

Unlike previous elections, Myanmar has introduced the Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP) system and the Myanmar Electronic Voting Machine. The MMP system combines First-Past-the-Post and Proportional Representation, the state-owned daily Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

According to the Ministry of Information, Myanmar citizens living abroad have already cast their advance votes at overseas embassies and consulates. Election observation teams from several countries have arrived in Myanmar to observe the polls.

Myanmar's last general elections were held in November 2020.