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Myanmar concluded the final round of a month-long election widely criticised as neither free nor fair, with observers and rights groups denouncing the process as engineered to cement military control. Major opposition voices were excluded, campaigning was restricted in many areas and violence and intimidation reportedly marred the vote. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is widely expected to secure a decisive victory, deepening Myanmar's international isolation and complicating prospects for democratic restoration. The outcome is likely to reinforce junta authority and raise further concerns about political repression, human rights violations and the challenges facing regional and international efforts to restore meaningful political participation and accountability.