Alex Ritson

At the last free election five years ago, it got only 6% of seats.

Aung San Suu Kyi's party got more than 80%.

This time around...

The USDP is the only party with full institutional support of the military behind it.

There are only five other parties contesting nationwide, and they will not do anything like as well.

We expect the USDP to get by far the largest bulk of seats in the parliament.

So in many ways, this is just applying a democratic facade to a military regime.

Some people are saying, look, you do need to look at the small bright side here, which is this country has been trapped in a brutal five-year stalemate that's killed perhaps 90,000 people.

It's destroyed the economy, at least when they broaden the number of people involved in power.

it might soften some characteristics of the military regime or bring some element of power competition at the top.

It's a small window of optimism.

I think for some people, even some who are deeply opposed to this election and to the military, some of them will feel after five years this is the only off-ramp from this dreadful civil war and perhaps people need to go with it.

Even if the military think this will give them some democratic legitimacy, it's not going to.

Is it because everyone can see what's going on?

It won't among all those who are opposed to the military.

But where I think it will count is it will perhaps give a sense that there is some forward momentum to something else.

Also, internationally, China is fully backing this election.

there's a wonderful irony here china which doesn't have elections or multi-party system is actually giving technical assistance and advice on how to do it probably the first time china's done this but china is worried about state collapse the anarchy in myanmar the fragmented opposition groups is for china which has a huge border with myanmar is so risky china feels they've got to go ahead with elections support this regime and i think other asian countries will somehow reluctantly follow suit so the

poll is over.

Jonathan Head.