Voters in Myanmar cast ballots Sunday in a general election widely viewed as stage-managed by the military junta that seized power in a 2021 coup. The election, the first since the coup, was expected to solidify the military's control despite some citizens expressing a desire for change.

Turnout appeared lower than in the 2020 and 2015 elections, particularly in major cities like Yangon and Mandalay. This decline reflected widespread skepticism about the election's potential to bring about meaningful change. "I don’t believe this election will really change things, but I came anyway to avoid trouble," said Sandy Chit, a 34-year-old cosmetics seller in Mandalay. "Many people here are voting out of fear, not hope."

The military has dominated Myanmar's government for much of its post-independence history. A brief period of democratic transition began around 2010 when the military ceded some authority to a civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. However, this period ended with the 2021 coup.

Despite the prevailing pessimism, some parties chose to participate in the election. "We have to do something," said Nant Khin Aye Oo, chairwoman of the Kayin Peoples Party, one of the few parties not banned from fielding candidates. "We can’t live under this anymore."

The election results are anticipated in the coming days. The military junta is expected to remain in power, continuing the country's political instability.