On December 28, Myanmar will hold the first phase of “national elections” that will be neither truly national nor genuine in any way. Organized by the brutal Myanmar military junta – now ironically styling itself as the State Security and Peace Commission – these “elections” are pure political theater staged entirely to solidify and “legitimize” the military’s existing political and economic control.

On the ground, in resistance-held territory throughout the country, however, genuine democratic processes have been built. In Karenni (Kayah) State, for example, the Interim Executive Council (IEC) brings together political leaders, civil society, youth, and women’s groups alongside armed resistance actors. It prioritizes civilian representation and service delivery over military-style control. Despite operating under intense conflict, the IEC has begun coordinating education, health, and local administration while outlining a path towards a Karenni State constitution and a future within a federal democratic union.

At a national level, the path toward a federal democratic future in Myanmar is being guided by the National Unity Government (NUG). This body, comprising elected representatives and civil society leaders, has taken decisive steps to shape a vision for Myanmar’s democratic future, including the inclusion of ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Rohingya, in national life and politics.

The NUG has, for example, appointed Aung Kyaw Moe, a prominent Rohingya human rights defender, as a deputy minister, and has outlined a commendable stance on the future of the........

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