Junta Steps Up Calls to Vote as Turnout Remains Low in Yangon

Yangon’s final phase of the junta-organized election on January 25 saw extremely low voter turnout, even lower than earlier phases. Authorities responded by using loudspeakers, taxis, and campaign music to pressure people to vote, alongside heavy security deployments and movement restrictions near polling stations. Public participation remained minimal across most townships, with slightly higher turnout only in areas dominated by junta-affiliated communities or influenced by rumors. Despite widespread public disinterest, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing visited polling stations and dismissed international concerns over the election’s legitimacy.