Elections in Myanmar
Encyclopedia
Elections in Burma are a rarity. Burma is led by a military junta known as the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC). Opposition
parties
are banned, but exist illegally. Prior to the military take over, multi-party
elections were held in 1951–1952
, 1956
and 1960
.
When Ne Win
's one party rule system – the Burma Socialist Programme Party
(BSPP) – collapsed in August 1988 following the 8888 Uprising
, the military staged another coup d'etat
the following September, stating that they were going to hold "free and fair" elections in 1990. The first (and to date only) elections to the People's Assembly (Pyithu Hluttaw) under the new military administration, renamed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), were held on 27 May 1990. The major opposition party, the National League for Democracy
, won a landslide victory with a majority of 392 out of the 492 seats; thus, under a parliamentary system, the NLD would form a new government. However, the SLORC refused to acknowledge the results, and as a result the People's Assembly never convened.
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
(SPDC). Opposition
Opposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
are banned, but exist illegally. Prior to the military take over, multi-party
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
elections were held in 1951–1952
Burmese general election, 1951–1952
Burma's first general elections held as an independent state took place over several months between June 1951 and April 1952, due to internal conflict within the country....
, 1956
Burmese general election, 1956
Burma held its second general election on 27 April 1956 to vote for 202 out of 250 seats to the Burmese Chamber of Deputies; the remaining 48 were decided automatically as no opposition candidates were entered against candidates of the ruling Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League .The Anti-Fascist...
and 1960
Burmese general election, 1960
Burma held its third general election on 6 February 1960 to decide which faction of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League should take over from General Ne Win's interim administration, established in October 1958...
.
When Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
's one party rule system – the Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party was formed by the Ne Win's military regime that seized power in 1962 and was the sole political party allowed to exist legally in Burma during the period of military rule from 1964 until its demise in the aftermath of the popular uprising of 1988.-History:The BSPP...
(BSPP) – collapsed in August 1988 following the 8888 Uprising
8888 Uprising
The 8888 Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests was a series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots in the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma...
, the military staged another coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
the following September, stating that they were going to hold "free and fair" elections in 1990. The first (and to date only) elections to the People's Assembly (Pyithu Hluttaw) under the new military administration, renamed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), were held on 27 May 1990. The major opposition party, the National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
, won a landslide victory with a majority of 392 out of the 492 seats; thus, under a parliamentary system, the NLD would form a new government. However, the SLORC refused to acknowledge the results, and as a result the People's Assembly never convened.