First phase of Myanmar's general election concludes

Officials of the Union Election Commission count votes during the general election at a polling station in Yangon, Myanmar, Dec. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Voting for the first phase of Myanmar's 2025 multi-party democratic general election concluded on Sunday afternoon.

Voting began at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday. At 4 p.m., an election official at a polling station in Yangon's Kyauktada township announced the closure of the polling station.

Following the closure, election staff at the polling station, in the presence of domestic and international media, candidates and observers, counted the votes, including advance votes, for seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House), Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House), and State and Region Hluttaws (State and Region Parliaments).

According to the Information Team of Myanmar's National Defense and Security Council, a total of 139 members of international election observation teams and representatives of the diplomatic community were present to observe and monitor the orderly and free casting of votes during the first phase of the election on Sunday.

The 2025 general election is being held in three phases. The second and third voting phases are scheduled for Jan. 11 and Jan. 25, 2026, respectively.

The election will cover 692 constituencies nationwide, with about 5,000 candidates from 57 political parties competing for seats in the above-mentioned three parliaments. According to the Union Election Commission, 21,517 polling stations have been set up across the country.

Final election results are expected to be announced after the completion of all voting phases.

Myanmar's last general election was held in November 2020.