Executive Summary Bangladesh’s 2026 Parliamentary Elections and referendum took place in a transition context shaped by the July 2024 youth-led uprising and amidst heightened public scrutiny of state institutions. Against that backdrop, ANFREL observed an Election Day environment that was generally peaceful, orderly, and safe in the areas covered. This was a
12 February 2026 Dhaka, Bangladesh The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) commends the people of Bangladesh for their participation in the peaceful and orderly Parliamentary Elections and Referendum held on 12 February 2026. Nineteen months after the historic July Uprising, voters across Bangladesh arrived at polling stations with anticipation to cast
Executive Summary The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) deployed 24 international observers in 31 provinces across Thailand to observe the campaign period, advance voting, and Election Day of the 2026 Thai parliamentary elections and constitutional referendum. According to preliminary results, over 36 million Thai citizens participated in voting on 1 and
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) deployed international election observers across Bangladesh to engage with various stakeholders and monitor election-related activities including preparations for the elections and campaign activities. They will also observe Election Day processes including voting and counting procedures. Bangladesh is set to hold the parliamentary elections and referendum
Elections, Elections, Elections Recent political developments in several countries in Asia have paved the way for elections amid emerging issues and challenges. People also hope that the elections would pave the way to push the country forward after mass protests that toppled the ruling political elite. Hoping to gain stability and a
https://www.youtube.com/live/wNib_efvL7Q?si=vKrylQVW0YpRVrgt After the July 2024 uprising that toppled the regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and following pronouncements from the interim government that elections will be held, the election commission announced on 11 December 2025 that Bangladesh will hold elections on 12 February 2026. A total of 1,981 candidates are contesting 300
Overview Japan goes to the polls today (8 Feb 2026) in a snap general election for all 465 seats in the House of Representatives (Shūgiin). The contest takes place under Japan’s mixed electoral system – 289 single-member districts plus 176 proportional-representation seats across 11 PR blocs – and voters cast two ballots
International election observers of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) are ready for deployment after a two-day briefing in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In Day 2, the Bangladesh Election Commission briefed the observers on the electoral process while the Special Branch of Police provided a brief on election-related violence. ANFREL international election observers
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) international election observers are in Dhaka, Bangladesh for a two-day briefing as part of the preparation for their deployment to observe the upcoming elections and referendum in the country. Day 1 (6 February 2026) covered core topics on the international election observation mission, the electoral
27 January 2026Dhaka, Bangladesh Today, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) officially launched its International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) for the 13th Parliamentary Elections and Referendum in Bangladesh. The mission commenced today and will continue until 17 February 2026, spanning a period of 22 days. ANFREL will deploy 22 international election
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) condemns the arrest and continuous detention of Ugandan human rights lawyer and citizen observer Dr. Sarah Bireete. Dr. Bireete, executive director of Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG) who also serves as board chair of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM), was arrested on
https://youtube.com/live/p_W_0JlCuTs?feature=share Myanmar’s military junta completed the first and second phases of its planned elections on 28 December 2025 and 11 January 2026, respectively. These phases form a central part of the junta’s effort to project political normalization following the 2021 coup. However, both phases were conducted amid ongoing armed conflict, mass displacement,
https://youtube.com/live/RkylEhvE4wg?feature=share The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) launched in 2025 the third iteration of its media fellowship program on reporting elections focused on the Myanmar Junta's staged elections. Since the military staged a coup in 2021 after the 2020 general election, the Myanmar junta is organizing elections in three phases: (1)
Overview Thailand will hold a snap election for the 500-seat House of Representatives on Sunday, 8 February 2026, following the royal-approved dissolution of Parliament on 12 December 2025 – a move that placed the country under a caretaker period and triggered an election within the constitutional timeframe. The same day, voters will
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) has closely monitored developments surrounding the Myanmar military junta’s preparations for elections scheduled to begin tomorrow, 28 December 2025. Based on prevailing political, security, and human rights conditions, ANFREL assesses that the environment in which these elections are being organized fails to meet minimum requirements
Nearly five years after the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s generals are pushing ahead with multi-phase elections under the 2008 military-drafted constitution. ANFREL’s assessment report, Myanmar Junta’s Planned Elections: Falling Short of Democratic Legitimacy (September 2025), concluded that these polls will unfold amid widespread violence, mass displacement, and the systematic denial of basic freedoms,
By Tarushi Aswani India’s policy toward Myanmar is shaped by a combination of geography, security dependence and economic interests that do not always align. For Rohingya refugees in India, that means an uncertain life. New Delhi: Mohammed Salim is watching a video of Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing shaking hands with
By Nathaphob Sungkate On 28 December, Myanmar will be holding its first general election since the February 2021 military coup. The election has been called a sham and a tool for the junta to maintain control, and many Myanmar migrants in Thailand are refusing to participate in it. Nevertheless, some have expressed
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released today, 16 December 2025, the report of its pre-election assessment in Bangladesh for the 13th National Parliamentary Elections. The report assessed institutional preparedness, identify key risks to electoral integrity, and inform both national stakeholders and the design of future election observation missions. Read the
Distinguished Delegates to the 11th Conference of the States Parties to United NationsConvention against Corruption (Doha, 15 to 19 December 2025): We, the undersigned domestic and regional networks of election monitoring organisations, democracy and anticorruption civil society and international organisations from across the globe, express our commitment to the precepts of the
https://www.youtube.com/live/mUTVAwnKHx0?si=ZWC_boZQSHeoEgMo Amid the repressive electoral and political environment, the Myanmar military junta is proceeding with its planned elections in three phases later this year and early in 2026. With the current situation, ANFREL did not seek accreditation or engage with the junta-controlled election commission in Myanmar despite its previous efforts to support
Following the assessment report on the Myanmar junta's planned elections, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) launched a mini video series explaining why the junta-planned elections cannot be considered legitimate, credible, and free and fair. The #LetMeExplain series focused on three key aspects of the electoral environment that strongly indicate how
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) joined endorsing organizations in the Convening Committee and Annual Implementation Meetings of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation (DoP) in Geneva, Switzerland, 10-12 December 2025. This year's implementation meeting marked 20 years since the launch of the DoP at the United Nations Secretariat.
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) joined endorsing organizations of the Declaration of Principles (DoP) for International Election Observation in reaffirming their commitment to supporting genuine democratic elections. As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the DoP, the endorsing organizations also reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of international election observation
The Asian Network for Free Elections, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Election Commission, organized a one-day regional experience-sharing exchange on emerging electoral challenges and oversight, Dhaka, 23 November 2025. "Building Bridges: Regional Electoral Governance and Citizen Observation Exchange" gathered regional experts from election management bodies, civil society organizations, and election observer groups
In October 2025, ANFREL continued to observe significant political and electoral developments across Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Myanmar. In Bangladesh, ahead of the 13th National Elections scheduled for February 2026, twenty-two political parties endorsed the July National Charter 2025 on 17 October 2025, following an extensive process of dialogue facilitated by the National
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) continued its coordination engagements with traditional election observation organizations and inclusion-rights groups in Bangladesh through a follow-up meeting held on 06 November 2025 in Dhaka. This round of discussions further strengthened communication, preparedness, and complementarity among citizen observer networks and organizations advocating for inclusion in
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)’s delegation met on 6 November 2025 with Nepal’s Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki as part of a high-level courtesy visit ahead of the country’s snap elections on 5 March 2026. The discussion focused on the significance of citizen observation, challenges regarding the implementation of out-of-country
Consolidating Democratic Gains There has been an increasing distrust in public institutions amid issues of corruption and government excesses. On the other hand, the public engagement in collectively speaking up against these issues signals democratic resilience. In Bangladesh, the upcoming elections will test whether institutions can deliver credible processes amid concerns about
Overview On 21 October 2025, Japan’s National Diet elected Sanae Takaichi as the country’s 104th Prime Minister, making her the first woman to hold the post. Her election marks a historic moment for Japan’s politics, but also reflects a period of deep political volatility and shifting party dynamics. Takaichi, a longtime member