Myanmar's top general Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in a coup five years ago, is overseeing a month-long election widely viewed as a means to cement the military's control over the country. After years of tension with civilian leaders and the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi, Min Aung Hlaing now presides over a poll that is expected to deliver a landslide victory for the pro-military party, raising speculation about his potential move to the presidency.

Min Aung Hlaing's career has been marked by military campaigns against ethnic insurgents and a controversial crackdown on the Rohingya minority, which led to international condemnation and calls for his arrest over alleged crimes against humanity. Despite promising a return to democracy, his rule has been characterized by repression, forced conscription, and a brutal civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

As the election concludes, skepticism remains high among analysts and citizens who see the process as lacking legitimacy. Whether Min Aung Hlaing remains military chief or assumes a civilian leadership role, many in Myanmar continue to view him as the country's true but unlawful ruler.