Just look for this symbolWHEN Myanmar last held a general election, in November 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) boycotted that election, which the party close to the armed forces, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), won handily. Yet six days later Myanmar’s best-known dissident was free. Much has changed. Five years ago people dared not discuss politics. Now tea shops hum with debate. Ms Suu Kyi and her party campaign openly. She smiles and waves from posters urging people to vote for the NLD, which this time is contesting the election that is due on November 8th.
The polls will see national and local parliaments elected. (Three months later, the bicameral national assembly will choose a president from among three candidates nominated by the upper house, the lower house and the armed forces.) With a quarter of parliamentary seats still reserved for the army, Ms Suu Kyi would need to win two-thirds of contested seats to secure a majority. That is extremely unlikely, not least because the parties of ethnic minorities will pick up seats in their regions. Yet...Continue reading
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