Myanmar's military government has scheduled the initial phase of the general elections for December 28, despite the country grappling with persistent civil unrest and facing a boycott from pro-democracy opposition factions.

The Federal Election Commission announced on Monday that seats in both houses of parliament, as well as at the regional level, will be contested in a "multi-party democratic general election." The military seized power in a 2021 coup, sparking an armed conflict that has left vast swathes of the country under the control of ethnic armed groups.

In January 2023, Myanmar's junta introduced a new political party registration law that critics say is designed to stifle opposition groups, making it nearly impossible for them to build sufficient momentum to pose any meaningful challenge to the military-backed government in the upcoming general election.

The electoral commission stated that the dates for subsequent phases, which will be held between December and January due to security risks, will be announced at a later time.

This move comes as military council leader Min Aung Hlaing seeks to bolster his international standing amid a collapsing economy and growing resistance from pro-democracy armed groups. Last week, he insisted the vote "must be held without fail," despite ongoing violence that has claimed thousands of civilian lives since the coup.

The National League for Democracy, the country's primary opposition party, was formally dissolved in 2023, while its 80-year-old leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains imprisoned on a 27-year sentence following multiple convictions.

Reports suggest that the military has been losing control over large parts of the country, as ethnic armed groups in the northern and western regions continue to secure substantial territorial advances. However, the armed groups are unlikely to take over junta quarters in the larger parts of Myanmar.