Myanmar’s parliament convened for the first time in five years Monday, marking a formal restoration of legislative proceedings in the country following widely contested national elections held by the military junta government.
The reopening of the legislature has raised important legal questions regarding the constitutional framework of governance, the legality of the elections held under military rule, and the resulting composition of the parliamentary body.
The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw—the bi-cameral legislature established under the nation’s 2008 constitution—has claimed it is the country’s sole legitimate parliament. An opposition shadow parliament, formed by elected lawmakers who were removed from their seats after the military seized power in a 2021 coup, also held an online session on Monday refusing to recognize the newly seated Pyidaungsu Hluttaw.
Myanmar’s 2008 constitution grants the military a significant institutional role in the country’s political system. Under this charter, 25 percent of parliamentary seats are reserved for military officers appointed directly by the commander-in-chief. The arrangement ensures that the armed forces maintain a guaranteed presence in the legislature with the ability to block constitutional amendments, which require approval from over 75 percent of the legislature.
The recent national elections were widely criticized, having been conducted under electoral rules introduced by the junta government. Several opposition parties, including those linked to the former governing National League for Democracy (NLD), were dissolved, barred from participation, or chose to boycott the vote. As a result, military-aligned parties secured a large share of the contested seats in the election, which, when combined with the constitutionally reserved military seats, produced a legislature dominated by junta-aligned actors.
The junta seized power in February 2021, ousting the elected civilian government led by the NLD. The military detained several senior officials, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, and declared a nationwide state of emergency. Military leaders justified the coup by alleging widespread fraud in November 2020 general elections, which the NLD won by a large margin. However, the country’s election commission rejected these claims, and critics maintain that the military’s actions violated the rule of law.
The coup ended a decade-long period of limited civilian rule and effectively returned Myanmar to direct military control, triggering widespread protests, violent repression, and ongoing political conflict. While the nation now sees a formal return to legislative proceedings after years of disruption, the coup, questionable elections and the junta’s continued political dominance raise unresolved questions about the legitimacy of the new legislature.
