On January 31, 2025, the military junta in Myanmar announced a six-month extension of the state of emergency, which has been in effect since the coup d'état four years ago. This decision follows ongoing conflicts that have resulted in thousands of deaths.
The military, led by Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, faces significant resistance from armed groups and has encountered multiple setbacks against a coalition of ethnic minority militias in the northern and eastern regions of the country.
The extension of the state of emergency means that promised elections will be postponed at least until after mid-year. The military seized power in 2021, alleging electoral fraud in the 2020 elections, during which Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) secured a decisive victory.
This coup effectively ended a decade-long period of democratic governance in Myanmar. The junta has repeatedly extended the state of emergency as it continues to confront both ethnic militias and newly formed groups advocating for democracy, such as the People's Defense Forces.