Suu Kyi remains absent as military-run Myanmar election proceeds

Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in military detention since the 2021 coup and is not on the ballot; the junta is running a three-phase election, with the second phase beginning Sunday.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in near-total isolation by Myanmar's military since the 2021 coup. The military voided the 2020 election results, dissolved her National League for Democracy, and has removed her from the political process. The junta is conducting a three-phase election it describes as a return to civilian rule; the second phase began Sunday and includes voting in Kawhmu, Suu Kyi's former constituency. Her international standing was damaged over her government's handling of the Rohingya crisis, even as many supporters inside Myanmar continue to see her as a symbol of democratic change. What is known: - Suu Kyi has been detained by the military since the 2021 coup and is not participating in the current vote. - The military annulled the NLD's 2020 victory and dissolved the party before organising the new election. - The junta began a three-phase election; the second phase started on Sunday and includes Kawhmu outside Yangon. - Her international reputation was harmed by the Rohingya crisis, while many domestic supporters view her absence as undermining the vote's legitimacy. Summary: The military-run election is moving forward while Aung San Suu Kyi remains detained and off the ballot. Her absence is influencing how the vote is perceived inside Myanmar and abroad. Remaining phases of the three-part vote will continue; the broader political trajectory is undetermined at this time.