In 2010, Myanmar's military junta, misnamed the State Peace and Development Council, began a controlled move to limited democracy. The process was highly imperfect and there has been backsliding of late. Nevertheless, national elections were held last week. The poll was flawed but largely free.
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy annihilated the regime's Union Solidarity Development Party, winning 78 percent of the seats. Voters rejected many top military and USDP leaders.
The losers were surprised that the people gave them so little credit for the end of dictatorial rule. "All of our calculations were wrong," said one. Yet this happened before.
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