While the NLD seems likely to win, grievances of minorities and the influence of the army loom large on the ballot.
Saturday, November 7, 2020 / By: Jason Tower
The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to win Myanmar’s general elections on November 8, but the 2020 race is much more hotly contested than 2015. The growing political frustration of the country’s non-Burma ethnic nationalities is fueling insurgencies and the military-affiliated Union Solidarity and Development Party—and its armed forces patrons—are criticizing the government and attacking the country’s feeble electoral institutions. The way Myanmar’s ethnic nationalities experience the process will have major implications for peacemaking efforts moving forward. USIP’s Jason Tower previews the elections, their effect on Myanmar’s civil war and peace process, and how COVID-19 has impacted the election process.
Read the full report.