Myanmar’s military government has announced that a new national parliament will convene in mid-March, with the subsequent selection of a new president slated for April. The State Administration Council (SAC), which has governed the country since Feb. 1, 2021, made the announcement through state-controlled media, outlining a step in its stated timeline for a return to a form of civilian governance.
The planned session of parliament follows the 2021 military takeover, when the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s armed forces, detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officials from the National League for Democracy (NLD) party. The military cited allegations of widespread fraud in the November 2020 general election as the basis for its actions. The NLD had won that election by a significant margin, and the Union Election Commission at the time had dismissed the military’s fraud allegations.
Following the transfer of power, the military declared a state of emergency and formed the SAC, with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as its chairman. The SAC has since managed the country’s administrative functions.
The announcement did not specify the composition of the incoming parliament or the process for selecting its members. The military has previously stated its intention to hold new multi-party elections after conditions in the country are, in its view, “stable and peaceful.”
The 2021 events were met with widespread domestic protests and drew condemnation from international bodies. The United Nations General Assembly, the United States, the European Union, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have all issued statements calling for the restoration of the democratically elected government and the release of political detainees.
In opposition to the SAC, a group of ousted lawmakers and pro-democracy activists formed the National Unity Government (NUG). The NUG considers itself the legitimate government of Myanmar and has rejected the military’s political road map.
The period since February 2021 has been marked by ongoing civil unrest and armed conflict between the military and various opposition groups across the country. The SAC continues to exercise authority, and its latest announcement to convene a parliament represents its next stated move in the country’s political process.
