Myanmar military regime dissolves four more political parties

Myanmar’s junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) dissolved the once-prominent National Democratic Force (NDF) and other parties this week, further consolidating military control over the country’s political arena ahead of a planned general election in December. In a statement released on Tuesday night, the commission announced the official deregistration of the NDF, the Democratic National Party, the Women’s Party (Mon) and Union Farmers and Workers Force Party. The commission’s pretext for disbanding the parties was their failure to meet eligibility criteria such as minimum membership thresholds and the establishment of official party offices. The dissolution of the NDF is especially noteworthy in that the party had aligned itself with the military after the coup of 2021. Formed in 2010 by breakaway members of the National League for Democracy (NLD)—the party of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi—the NDF initially sought to position itself as a moderate alternative, participating in elections boycotted by the NLD at the time. Following the military's seizure of power in 2021, NDF leadership including party chair Khin Maung Swe expressed support for the newly installed junta. Khin Maung Swe was even appointed an advisor to the regime soon after the coup. More recently, a few former members of the National League for Democracy (NLD)—including former member of parliament Sandar Min, who has openly opposed the armed resistance movement and participated in official post-coup events—defected to the NDF in preparation for the military-organised election. The UEC’s decision effectively bars the NDF from participating in the election, an unexpected development given its prior and perceived cooperation with the regime. The precise basis on which the UEC deemed the NDF ineligible to participate is unclear. According to the election commission’s requirements, political parties that want to compete nationwide must have at least 50,000 members. The party’s newly appointed vice chair, Sandar Min, told Myanmar Now today that the party has already met this requirement. “We ourselves are not completely sure yet. This morning we will have to ask the election commission. Only after they give us an answer will we know what the situation really is. But as far as what we submitted, we made sure it was complete. We already submitted more than 50,000 members,” she said. Broader political crackdown The dissolution is the latest in a series of measures aimed at eliminating political opposition. In March 2023, the junta’s Election Commission disbanded 40 political parties, including the NLD—Myanmar’s former ruling party—for failing to register in accordance with a new political parties registration law introduced in January of that year. Under the revised law, all parties were required to re-register within 60 days or face automatic deregistration. The NLD and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), among other parties, refused to comply with the newly introduced requirements, denouncing the upcoming election as illegitimate. The election commission later confirmed that these parties had been “automatically invalidated.” The removal of major opposition parties like the NLD and SNLD has left the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)—originally established by the former military dictatorship headed by Senior General Than Shwe—as the dominant force heading into the December 28 election. Junta chief Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing announced last month that 55 political parties are expected to compete in the election. Of these, nine will field candidates nationwide, while the remaining 46 will participate only in regional or state-level constituencies. Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing returns from a week-long visit to China on September 6. This photo, published on his official website, shows crowds lining the road in Naypyidaw to welcome his motorcade. Internet users in Myanmar pointed out what appears to be a digitally inserted soldier in the middle of the photo, possibly added to exaggerate the scale of the security presence and promote the image of a tightly controlled and grand security operation surrounding the junta leader A national census conducted on October 1, 2024, recorded Myanmar’s population at 54.7 million, including more than 3.4 million citizens living overseas. However, the regime has yet to release a list of eligible voters or clarify how the vote will be administered in conflict-affected areas. Currently, a state of emergency and martial law remains in effect in 63 townships, including parts of Sagaing, Magway, and Mandalay regions as well as parts of various states demographically dominated by ethnic minorities. These areas have witnessed the most intensive military operations since the coup, including airstrikes, artillery strikes, and ground assaults, leading to widespread displacement. Despite the unrest, the junta insists elections will proceed—even in areas under the control of ethnic armed organisations and newly formed resistance groups that emerged following the 2021 coup. In response, the National Unity Government (NUG)—an opposition governing body formed and endorsed by elected members of parliament after the coup—has urged civilians in conflict zones to remain vigilant and prioritise their own safety. The NUG has also warned that military presence in these regions often precedes escalated violence and human rights abuses.

Myanmar military regime dissolves four more political parties

Despite a history of cooperation with the military, the National Democratic Force was disbanded along with three other parties on the pretext of failing to meet criteria for participating in elections

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