Military Dictator Claims Election Victory. Democracy Applauds.
The article notes the UN's condemnation of these 'election' results, as if the UN expressing disapproval ever stopped a junta from consolidating power. These are the same elections the 2021 military coup was designed to prevent, throwing out legitimate results then to install their own now. It's less an election, more a carefully stage-managed announcement of the inevitable, following years of
brutal suppression. The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) claiming a 'huge lead' (as reported by Al Jazeera) is as surprising as the sky being blue after they've jailed opposition, stifled dissent, and literally taken over the government by force. One might wonder when the 'international community' will tire of expressing 'grave concern' while the actual perpetrators face
zero real consequences. How many times must a military regime declare itself the victor after systematically dismantling any opposition before it stops being called an 'election' and simply starts being called 'ruling by force,' which it was all along?