Myanmar’s military government enacts new political party law

By GRANT PECK
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military-controlled government has enacted a new law on registration of political parties that will make it difficult for opposition parties to mount a serious challenge to army-backed candidates in a general election set to take place later this year. The new law published Friday sets minimum funding and membership levels for parties participating in the polls. It also bans participation by parties or candidates deemed unlawful or linked to what the military calls terrorism. The army seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which had won a landslide victory in the 2020 election. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party appears to be the only party certain to be able to meet the new requirements.