Myanmar's Military-Dominated Parliament Opens First Session

Myanmar's military-dominated parliament convened its first session on Monday in the capital, Naypyitaw, marking the initial step in a process that ensures the armed forces maintain firm control over the country's governance five years after a coup. The lower house, with 373 seats, opened amid tight security in a newly renovated complex damaged by last year's earthquake, while the upper house of 213 seats is set to follow on Wednesday.

The session follows phased elections held in December and January across 263 of Myanmar's 330 townships, where the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party secured 339 seats. Under the constitution drafted by the military, the armed forces hold 166 additional seats, or a quarter of the total 586 in both chambers, leaving nearly 90 percent of positions under military influence or allied control. Twenty-one smaller parties claimed between one and 20 seats each, but major opposition groups, including the former ruling National League for Democracy, were barred from participating or boycotted the vote over unfair conditions.

Delegates arrived in traditional attire for the lower house opening, with roads sealed by security forces and...