Elections

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

1960 Election

Pyidaungsu Party won. U Nu became Prime Minister of the Union of Burma for the Third and Last time.
Several military officers (who used power to support the Losing Party) were purged.
The 17 man Revolutionary Council staged a Coup d’etat on March 2, 1962. According to Kyemon U Thaung, six of them did not have access to high level information / decision.
Burma lost its hard fought Independence.

During the BSPP era, there were Sham Elections. Mostly single candidate nominated by BSPP. Voters had to choose White (Yes) or Black (No).
During one BSPP Convention, the then Number One did not get the Top Vote. A purge followed. Those suspected of “Election Fraud” were criminalized with ludicrous charges. The MI Chief and his followers became extremely powerful. Eventually they were detained or dismissed.
Jump Promotions and Purges led to many Toadies. e.g a Commander who baby sit the grand kids of his Boss.

In September 1988 General Saw Maung took over. He promised to hold free and fair elections and that the soldiers will return to the Barracks.
Citing medical reasons, he was forced out & replaced by a Ruthless Dictator.
The National League for Democracy won the 1990 Elections. The results were nullified. The majority of elected representatives were detained.
The military rule — accompanied by Nepotism, Cronyism & Terrorism — established a hand crafted Constitution in 2008 to ensure impunity for their Crimes and an unfair advantage to the past, present & future Thugs.
2010 Election was virtually uncontested. Some Toadies helped the military by posing as Opposition.
2015 and 2020 Elections were won convincingly by NLD (National League for Democracy).