The Republic of the Union of Myanmar, an isolated country in Southeast Asia, held general elections for the People¿s Assembly in 2010, the first in twenty years and the second in fifty years. Why did the military junta, that has ruled the country for decades, bother organizing elections? The latest elections were meant to give the impression that they would create a legitimate government. However, it was preceded by a flawed referendum to approve a constitution which imposed severe limitations on parties willing to participate in elections, thus ensuring that the military-backed political parties would win most of the seats at stake.
