The key facts

  • By-elections are scheduled for April 4, 2027
  • 34 lower house seats, 5 upper house seats, and 16 regional parliament seats are up for grabs
  • All seats are contested under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system

Date and scope of the by-elections

Myanmar's Union Election Commission announced on Thursday, that by-elections to fill vacant seats in the national and regional parliaments will be held on April 4, 2027. According to the Myanmar media group Eleven Media Group, citing the commission's decision, 34 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives), 5 in the Amyotha Hluttaw (House of Nationalities), and 16 constituencies in regional and state parliaments are up for grabs — 55 mandates in total. All seats will be contested under the first-past-the-post system.

Context: elections after the change of power

The scheduling of the by-elections follows the parliamentary elections, whose three-stage process began in late December and ended with the victory of pro-marshal parties, including the Union Solidarity and Development Party. Min Aung Hlaing, who served as commander-in-chief of the armed forces (Tatmadaw) from 2011 and left the post in March to run in the presidential race, was elected president this year. Thus, the announced by-elections will take place under the new composition of power formed as a result of the completed electoral cycle.