Part 5/18:
Root Causes of Military Unhappiness: Election Results and Power Structures
The military’s motivations for this abrupt intervention lie deeply rooted in their perception of political marginalization and a desire to protect their institutional interests. Myanmar's constitution, drafted with military input, reserves 25% of parliamentary seats for military appointees, granting the armed forces significant veto power over constitutional amendments and legislation. Despite electoral victories by the NLD—winning 86% of seats in 2015 and an overwhelming majority again in 2020—the military suspected electoral fraud, citing over 10 million complaints about voting irregularities.