Myanmar’s military government began a tightly controlled general election on Sunday, nearly five years after overthrowing the country’s civilian administration, a move that sparked a prolonged civil war.

Voter turnout was low, particularly in major cities including Yangon, Mandalay, and the capital, Naypyidaw. At several polling stations, election officials and journalists reportedly outnumbered voters.

The junta has described the election as a step toward restoring democracy, but the process has drawn widespread condemnation from international observers, rights groups, and Western governments. Critics say the vote lacks credibility, with opposition parties excluded and former leader Aung San Suu Kyi still imprisoned.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, which won a landslide victory in 2020, has been dissolved and barred from participating. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is expected to dominate the election, fueling claims that the vote is meant to legitimize military rule.

Voting is being held in phases over a month, but polling will not take place in large areas affected by fighting between the military and armed resistance groups. Almost one-fifth of parliamentary constituencies are excluded due to insecurity.

The junta has promised the election will be “free and fair,” but new electronic voting machines do not allow write-in candidates or rejected ballots, raising concerns about transparency. Authorities have also prosecuted hundreds for attempting to disrupt or criticize the poll, which the UN has described as taking place amid “violence and repression.”

While some voters expressed hope that the election could bring stability, resistance groups have rejected the process outright and vowed to continue their fight against military rule. Myanmar remains engulfed in conflict, with pro-democracy and ethnic armed groups battling the junta across several regions.

The final round of voting is scheduled for late January, but analysts say the election is unlikely to resolve the country’s deep political crisis.