Read the full issue here: “Resilience Watch | Monthly Brief on Countries Under Restrictive Environments (Series 03, Issue 03)“

🇧🇩 In Bangladesh, the political discourse was shaped primarily by disagreements over the implementation of the July National Charter and what this means for the country’s post-uprising institutional transition. The dispute over whether constitutional reforms should proceed through parliamentary amendments or through the Constitutional Reform Council envisaged in the referendum has brought questions of institutional legitimacy and political competition to the forefront. These tensions have unfolded alongside growing scrutiny of the BNP-led government’s performance, including over the country’s worsening energy crisis and the broader political environment. Meanwhile, transitional justice proceedings involving former Awami League figures, the government’s efforts to secure Sheikh Hasina’s return from India, and preparations for the upcoming local elections and institutional reform continued to shape the wider political landscape of post-uprising Bangladesh.

🇰🇭 In Cambodia, the political environment was marked by a combination of limited political engagement and continued restrictions on civic and political participation. Meetings between former opposition leader Kem Sokha and senior Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) figures, alongside the appointment of his daughter Kem Monovithya to a senior government position, suggested a degree of political accommodation after years of confrontation. However, these developments remained largely individual and selective rather than signalling a broader opening for opposition actors. At the same time, arrests and prosecutions over political expression, restrictions on digital platforms, and the increasingly securitised treatment of speech surrounding the Cambodia–Thailand border continued to narrow civic space. Preparations for the 2027 commune elections also raised concerns over voter access and changes to the legal framework governing local political representation. 

🇲🇲 In Myanmar, following the military-staged elections and the establishment of the military-backed government, the junta continued to pursue two parallel objectives. Strengthening its international standing through diplomatic engagement with ASEAN and other regional and international partners, while consolidating political control through continued military operations, legal restrictions, and the suppression of political alternatives at home. The official visit of Min Aung Hlaing to Thailand, alongside his visit to Laos in July and preparations for a planned visit to Cambodia, marked a further effort to normalise relations with ASEAN member states. At the same time, his subsequent visits in August to Russia and Belarus with previous visits to India and China this year demonstrated the regime’s efforts to secure broader political and strategic support beyond Southeast Asia. These diplomatic initiatives have proceeded alongside continued attacks against civilians, restrictions on political actors, and resistance to ASEAN demands for meaningful political dialogue.

🇰🇷 In South Korea, three months after ballot-paper shortages disrupted the 3 June local elections, developments showed both areas of political agreement and continuing differences over electoral and institutional reform. The Democratic Party and the opposition People Power Party (PPP) supported the establishment of an investigation into the election-related problems, while remaining divided over the scope and direction of subsequent reforms to the National Election Commission (NEC). Similar differences were evident in the broader debate over constitutional reform. At the same time, continued political mobilisation around the election dispute and several developments concerning freedom of expression raised concerns about the environment for civic participation.

Read the full issue here: “Resilience Watch | Monthly Brief on Countries Under Restrictive Environments (Series 03, Issue 03)“