Small political parties prepare for 2020 elections despite losses
Small political parties prepare for 2020 elections despite losses
Myanmar Times, 01 Oct 2018
URL: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/small-political-parties-prepare-2020-elections-despite-losses.html
Did you know that there are nearly 100 political parties in Myanmar besides the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)? Most of these are regional and state parties. And while they may have been insignificant in past elections, they have never stopped lookingfor ways to win.
Since 2011, when the multi-party system began, 95 political parties have registered with the Elections Commission.
“Many parties means people are interested in politics. They want to participate in politics by pushing for their ideals through a political party,” U Thu Wai, chair of the Democratic Party-Myanmar and a veteran politician since the era of the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League during the colonial period.
According to the commission, over 90 political parties contested for 1171 seats in the Lower House, Upper House, and regional and state parliaments in the 2015 general election.
Most the parties competed in fewer than ten constituencies, while only six parties contested in hundreds of constituencies.
Seven parties fielded candidates for more than 100 seats in state and regional parliaments. In Shan State, the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, one of the strongest ethnic parties, competed for 120 seats, and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy competed for 90 seats.
The rest of the parties competed only in places where they thought they had a good chance of winning.
Only 20 political parties recorded victories in the last elections. The NLD won the most seats, followed by the USDP, Rakhine National Party and Shan Nationalities League. The rest won only one seat each.
Despite their poor performance in the last elections, most of these parties are determined to field candidates in the next election.
“We want to contribute to the country’s democracy. A party can do far more things than an individual. Pointing out mistakes as a party is more effective. Even if we don’t get into parliament, we want a chance to be heard and give advice to the government outside parliament,” said U Ye Tun, 88 Generation Student Youths Party chairman.
The party competed for 39 seats in the 2010 election and won one seat. It competed again for 47 seats in the 2015 election but failed to capture a single seat.
“There were many difficulties. We had to rent a place for our office, recruit party members and hold campaign events. Although we didn’t win, we had to make the effort to keep our party in the public eye. We even had to mortgage our houses and land to keep the party going,” said U Ye Tun.
More than 50 ethnic parties are also registered with the commission.
Small ethnic parties are formed with the aim of promoting their ethnic groups rather than getting into power.
Myanmar politics was dominated by one party for over half a century, and the transition to parliamentary democracy has given ethnic political parties the chance to pursue their own agendas.
U Salai Aung Min Hlaing, secretary of the Asho Chin National Party, said his party pushes for the rights of the ethnic Chin.
“It was formed to preserve, promote, and acquire the rights of the Chin people. We feel that our advocacy has been made more effective by forming a political party,” he said. The party competed for eight seats in 2015 but didn’t win any.
U Arr Lal, secretary of the Akha National Development Party in Shan State, said they formed the party to unite the Akha people.
“The Akha are the third largest ethnic group in eastern Shan. They have been led by religion for hundreds of years, and it is not easy for a religion to lead a people. Our people worship Buddhism, traditional spiritualism, and Christianity, he said.
In 2015, it competed for six seats and won the Akha Ethnic Affairs minister post. In the 2017 by-elections, it was not as lucky.
Despite the losses, U Arr Lal said the enthusiasm of his party’s members has not waned.
From 2010-2018, the commission abolished 15 political parties, eight of them for failing to compete in at least three constituencies in an election. According to the law, failing to field at least three candidates in an election results in a party losing its accreditation. The other parties were disqualified for merging with other parties.
U Saw Myint Htwe, secretary of the Kayin National Democratic Party, which was formed as a result of the merger of three parties, said the merger was aimed at giving people stronger political representation.
“The people wanted us to merge, so we did, even though our policies are different,” he said.
Despite the difficulties they face, small political parties believe they play an important role in the country’s transition to democracy because the voices of all people need to be heard.
Leaders of the parties believe that eventually they will become part of a coalition government in which they can best represent the interests of their people. Their commitment to democratic electoral politics remains strong despite setbacks.
Since 2011, when the multi-party system began, 95 political parties have registered with the Elections Commission.
“Many parties means people are interested in politics. They want to participate in politics by pushing for their ideals through a political party,” U Thu Wai, chair of the Democratic Party-Myanmar and a veteran politician since the era of the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League during the colonial period.
According to the commission, over 90 political parties contested for 1171 seats in the Lower House, Upper House, and regional and state parliaments in the 2015 general election.
Most the parties competed in fewer than ten constituencies, while only six parties contested in hundreds of constituencies.
Seven parties fielded candidates for more than 100 seats in state and regional parliaments. In Shan State, the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, one of the strongest ethnic parties, competed for 120 seats, and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy competed for 90 seats.
The rest of the parties competed only in places where they thought they had a good chance of winning.
Only 20 political parties recorded victories in the last elections. The NLD won the most seats, followed by the USDP, Rakhine National Party and Shan Nationalities League. The rest won only one seat each.
Despite their poor performance in the last elections, most of these parties are determined to field candidates in the next election.
“We want to contribute to the country’s democracy. A party can do far more things than an individual. Pointing out mistakes as a party is more effective. Even if we don’t get into parliament, we want a chance to be heard and give advice to the government outside parliament,” said U Ye Tun, 88 Generation Student Youths Party chairman.
The party competed for 39 seats in the 2010 election and won one seat. It competed again for 47 seats in the 2015 election but failed to capture a single seat.
“There were many difficulties. We had to rent a place for our office, recruit party members and hold campaign events. Although we didn’t win, we had to make the effort to keep our party in the public eye. We even had to mortgage our houses and land to keep the party going,” said U Ye Tun.
More than 50 ethnic parties are also registered with the commission.
Small ethnic parties are formed with the aim of promoting their ethnic groups rather than getting into power.
Myanmar politics was dominated by one party for over half a century, and the transition to parliamentary democracy has given ethnic political parties the chance to pursue their own agendas.
U Salai Aung Min Hlaing, secretary of the Asho Chin National Party, said his party pushes for the rights of the ethnic Chin.
“It was formed to preserve, promote, and acquire the rights of the Chin people. We feel that our advocacy has been made more effective by forming a political party,” he said. The party competed for eight seats in 2015 but didn’t win any.
U Arr Lal, secretary of the Akha National Development Party in Shan State, said they formed the party to unite the Akha people.
“The Akha are the third largest ethnic group in eastern Shan. They have been led by religion for hundreds of years, and it is not easy for a religion to lead a people. Our people worship Buddhism, traditional spiritualism, and Christianity, he said.
In 2015, it competed for six seats and won the Akha Ethnic Affairs minister post. In the 2017 by-elections, it was not as lucky.
Despite the losses, U Arr Lal said the enthusiasm of his party’s members has not waned.
From 2010-2018, the commission abolished 15 political parties, eight of them for failing to compete in at least three constituencies in an election. According to the law, failing to field at least three candidates in an election results in a party losing its accreditation. The other parties were disqualified for merging with other parties.
U Saw Myint Htwe, secretary of the Kayin National Democratic Party, which was formed as a result of the merger of three parties, said the merger was aimed at giving people stronger political representation.
“The people wanted us to merge, so we did, even though our policies are different,” he said.
Despite the difficulties they face, small political parties believe they play an important role in the country’s transition to democracy because the voices of all people need to be heard.
Leaders of the parties believe that eventually they will become part of a coalition government in which they can best represent the interests of their people. Their commitment to democratic electoral politics remains strong despite setbacks.