NO. 9 FEBRUARY 2026 Introduction Sham Elections amid the War in Myanmar Prospects for National Stability and International Cooperation Felix Heiduk Five years after the bloody military coup and amid a civil war, elections have taken place in Myanmar. They were neither free nor fair, nor was any attempt made to keep up an appearance of even minimum democratic standards. From the outset, the main purpose of the elections was not political participation but an authoritarian-led transition from military rule to a “civilian” government. The country’s new executive is intended to appear legitimate both nationally and internationally (on account of the ballot) and at the same time consolidate the military’s dominance. For its part, Myanmar’s military leadership claims the elections mark a “new beginning” to restore political stability in the country and break its international isolation. The reference here is, among others, to the European Union (EU) and its member states, which have imposed sanctions against Myanmar. However, they should not believe the myth of a “civilian” elected government and a “return” to constitutional order; and, accordingly, they should not seek to normalise relations with Myanmar for the time being. After decades of military rule in Myanmar, the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, prevailed in both the 2015 and 2020 parliamentary elections. A critic of the military, the NLD operated in the context of a liberalisation process that the military itself had initiated in 2010 to counteract the international isolation of the country. The 2008 constitution, written by the military, guarantees the armed forces 25 per cent of the seats in the parliament. Since a majority of more than 75 per cent is required for constitutional amendments, the military has a de facto blocking minority. The constitution also stipulates that important ministries must be headed by military personnel – for example, the min- istries of defence, the interior and border protection. Moreover, the military can declare a state of emergency at any time and thereby strip civilian institutions of their power. After the NLD had announced an overhaul of the security sector, among other reforms, following its re-election in 2020, the military leadership under Commanderin-Chief Min Aung Hlaing staged a coup on 1 February 2021, the day on which the democratically elected parliament was scheduled to be constituted. The justification for the coup was claimed to be “election fraud”, without any evidence being provided. Since then, the situation in Myanmar has been catastrophic in virtually every