International Desk :

Myanmar's military junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said the election will be held in December this year or January 2026.  The junta government has announced the date of this first election after taking power through a coup in 2021.

The news agency Reuters reported that the head of the junta spoke about the elections during his visit to Belarus on Friday.  He said, "free and neutral" elections will be held in Myanmar this time.  53 political parties of the country have already submitted their lists to participate in this election.

Min Aung Hlaing met with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk.  At the end of the meeting, he said that the election observation teams of Belarus have been invited to observe the election.

Myanmar last held national elections in 2020.  Then in February 2021, the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing seized power by ousting the elected government through a military coup.

After seizing power, the junta started a bloody campaign against the leaders and activists of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD party.  At the same time, Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest.

Since coming to power in a coup, Min Aung Hlaing has repeatedly promised to hold multiparty elections.  In June last year, he said that general elections will be held in the country in 2025.