Myanmar Ends Emergency but Not Military Rule
- TPP
- Aug 1
- 4 min read
Min Aung Hlaing Takes Control of Myanmar’s Government, Judiciary, and Military as Acting President.
Myanmar’s military regime has formally lifted the four-year state of emergency and announced the formation of a new Union Government, marking what it claims is a step toward restoring multiparty democracy. However, critics say it is simply a repackaging of military control, with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing still firmly in charge.
The National Defence and Security Council (NDSC), the top authority overseeing military governance, has named U Nyo Saw as Prime Minister, and established a State Security and Peace Commission chaired by Min Aung Hlaing himself. It also annulled the emergency order that had transferred sovereign power to the Commander-in-Chief during the 2021 coup.
Min Aung Hlaing has now appointed himself acting president, giving him simultaneous control of the executive, legislative, and military apparatus — despite claims of a civilian-led transition.
In February 2021, Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup d'état, overthrowing the democratically elected government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s most prominent civilian leader and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
Citing unproven allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 elections, the military declared a state of emergency, detaining Suu Kyi and other top leaders from the National League for Democracy (NLD), which had won in a landslide. The state of emergency was extended repeatedly in six-month increments for nearly four years.
The coup ignited a nationwide civil conflict, with the formation of the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) and long-standing ethnic armed groups launching a resistance. Thousands have died in clashes with the military.
The junta now claims that elections will be held in December, but no official date has been announced. A census conducted last year as preparation for the polls failed to gather data from 19 million of Myanmar’s 51 million citizens, due to "significant security constraints."
A new law announced by the junta this week imposes prison sentences of up to 10 years for any public speech or protest that could be interpreted as aiming to “destroy a part of the electoral process.”
Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun stated:
“The state of emergency is abolished today in order for the country to hold elections on the path to a multi-party democracy... Elections will be held within six months.”
But opposition groups, including ex-lawmakers ousted in the 2021 coup, have said they will boycott the elections, calling them illegitimate. The NLD has confirmed it will not participate, labeling the vote a “sham” and denouncing the military-appointed Union Election Commission.
A UN expert last month described the upcoming elections as:
“A fraud designed to legitimize the military’s continuing rule.”
Even though the state of emergency is officially over, analysts point out that power remains unchanged. Min Aung Hlaing still holds the top military post and now also serves as acting president, which means there is no genuine separation of powers.
“It’s essentially handing power from the left hand to the right,”said U Kyee Myint, a human rights lawyer in hiding.
In a symbolic speech to the junta’s administration in Naypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing declared:
“We have already passed the first chapter. Now, we are starting the second chapter,”as reported by The Global New Light of Myanmar.
Most experts believe that after the elections, he will either retain the presidency or continue as Commander-in-Chief, effectively remaining the de facto ruler.
Meanwhile, the military faces growing armed resistance. Analysts expect that rebel groups will intensify offensives around the election, in open defiance of the junta’s rule.
In a pre-emptive move, the military has begun offering cash rewards to members of armed groups who agree to lay down their arms and “return to the legal fold.”
This highlights the junta’s limited control over parts of the country and its desire to project stability ahead of the vote — especially to foreign governments.
International Reactions and Geopolitical Implications
While many countries continue to condemn the junta, some allies are offering quiet support. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman stated:
“Beijing supports Myanmar's various parties and factions properly resolving differences through political means under the constitutional and legal framework.”
However, most international observers remain skeptical that any real democratic transition is underway.
A Political Reshuffle, Not a Reform
Despite the end of emergency rule and the formation of new political bodies, Myanmar remains under de facto military rule. Elections may occur, but with opposition excluded, censorship rising, and the same military leader at the top, little is expected to change for the people of Myanmar.
As a symbol of democratic hope, Aung San Suu Kyi remains imprisoned, while the country continues to spiral through civil war, repression, and political manipulation.
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