The vote would be ‘free and fair’ he said during a state visit to Belarus, inviting the eastern European country to observe the election.

Myanmar's military government will hold a general election in December 2025 or January 2026, state media said on Saturday, citing the junta chief giving the first specific time frame for the long-promised polls.

Myanmar’s long-promised general elections will take place in December or January next year at the earliest, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said at a state-level meeting in Minsk, the latest effort by the military government to retain power and earn legitimacy.

The army takeover from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February 2021 has been met with widespread popular opposition, triggering armed resistances, and large parts of the country are embroiled in conflict.

State-run media in Myanmar say the head of the military government has declared the country will hold a general election within 10 months

The head of Myanmar's military government has said the country will hold a national election in December 2025 or January 2026. General Min Aung Hlaing said the elections would be "free and fair" - adding that 53 political parties had already submitted their lists to participate.