Myanmar Holds First Parliament Session in 5 Years Amid Military Dominance

Myanmar convened its first parliamentary session in over five years on Monday following elections widely criticised as an attempt by the military to legitimize its rule after the 2021 coup. The elections excluded major opposition parties, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) , which either were blocked from contesting or refused to participate under conditions they deemed unfair.

The two-chamber parliament now sees the military and its allies controlling nearly 90% of the seats . A quarter of the 586 total seats in the upper and lower houses—166 seats—are reserved for the military under the military-written constitution , while the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party secured 339 seats. Other parties won between one and 20 seats each.

Delegates, many in traditional attire , arrived in Naypyitaw for the opening of the 373-seat lower house , convening in a heavily guarded parliamentary complex recently renovated after last year’s earthquake. Roads leading to the parliament were sealed, and vehicles were searched for explosives. The 213-seat upper house is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, followed by 14 regional parliaments two days later.

The new parliament’s first tasks include electing speakers for each house, followed by a president and two vice presidents . Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing , head of the current military government, is widely expected to assume the presidency, although the constitution bars a president from simultaneously serving as commander-in-chief of the army , Myanmar’s most powerful post.

Critics have described the elections as an effort to cement military control and questioned the credibility of Myanmar’s democratic process , amid ongoing civil conflict triggered by widespread opposition to the 2021 coup. The UN special rapporteur , Tom Andrews, urged the international community to reject the election results and any ensuing power arrangements.

Meanwhile, Aung San Suu Kyi, now 80, remains imprisoned on charges widely regarded as politically motivated. Her party, which had won landslide victories in the 2015 and 2020 elections, was forced to dissolve in 2023. Opposition lawmakers continue to convene online through a shadow parliament , the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, which claims to be the country’s sole legitimate legislature.