Myanmar’s ruling military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has won the parliamentary seat formerly held by detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi. A senior USDP official told AFP on Monday that the party secured victory in the Kawhmu constituency, located in Yangon Region. The official added that the USDP won 15 of 16 lower house seats in the region. Voting in Kawhmu and several other constituencies took place on Sunday as part of the second phase of a three-stage national election.

Suu Kyi was ousted and detained following the 2021 military coup, after the junta alleged widespread fraud in the previous year’s election, which her National League for Democracy (NLD) had won by a landslide. The final phase of the month-long election is scheduled for January 25, with the junta claiming the process will return power to the people.

Pro-democracy groups have accused the authorities of staging a controlled election that suppresses dissent and favors military-linked candidates, particularly after the NLD was dissolved and Suu Kyi remained under house arrest.