Union Solidarity and Development Party
The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is a political party in Myanmar closely affiliated with the country's military establishment, founded on June 2, 2010, by then-Prime Minister Thein Sein and senior members of the State Peace and Development Council to contest the general election later that year.[1][2] It succeeded the Union Solidarity and Development Association, a mass mobilization organization established by the military regime in 1993 to garner public support for its policies.[2][3] The party secured a parliamentary majority in the 2010 election—held under conditions widely criticized for lacking fairness due to opposition boycotts and restrictions—allowing Thein Sein to assume the presidency in 2011 and oversee initial economic and political liberalization efforts.[4][5] Subsequent electoral defeats in 2015 and 2020, where the USDP won only a fraction of seats against the National League for Democracy, underscored its dependence on military influence amid freer voting.[6] The party's fortunes shifted after the February 2021 military coup, which nullified the 2020 results citing alleged fraud, positioning the USDP as a key ally to the junta's State Administration Council under Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.[6] It has since condemned international sanctions on the regime and begun campaigning for junta-scheduled elections, leveraging military networks for advantage.[7] Defining characteristics include its role as a conduit for military interests in civilian governance, with leadership drawn from retired officers, though it has drawn scrutiny for opaque funding ties to military-linked businesses and perceptions of enabling authoritarian continuity over democratic pluralism.[1][6]
Historical Background
Predecessor Organizations and Formation
The Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) was established on September 15, 1993, by Myanmar's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the military junta that had seized power in 1988, as a mass-based social organization aimed at fostering national unity, solidarity, and development while mobilizing support for the regime and countering pro-democracy opposition groups such as the National League for Democracy (NLD).[8][9] The USDA, often described as a front for junta interests, grew to include millions of members through state-directed recruitment and was frequently implicated in acts of intimidation and violence against dissidents, including attacks on NLD supporters during the 2003 Depayin massacre.[10][11] In preparation for Myanmar's first general elections in two decades, scheduled under the framework of the 2008 Constitution—which enshrined military influence through reserved parliamentary seats and oversight of key institutions—the USDA underwent a reorganization in early 2010 to transform into a formal political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), enabling participation in the electoral process while maintaining continuity in its pro-stability and pro-military objectives.[12][13] This shift was encouraged by the junta's State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), with former Prime Minister Thein Sein resigning from the military on April 2, 2010, to lead the new entity as its chairman, drawing on USDA networks for organizational strength.[14] The USDP was officially registered with the Union Election Commission (UEC) on May 27, 2010, after submitting required documentation including a party constitution, candidate lists, and financial disclosures, positioning it as the primary vehicle for junta-aligned civilian political engagement ahead of the November 7 polls.[15] Founding leadership included figures like U Htay Oo, a former USDA head who became USDP secretary-general, reflecting the seamless integration of predecessor structures into the party's hierarchy to ensure alignment with military-guided governance goals.[9]Early Governance Role (2011–2015)
Following the 2010 general election, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) secured a dominant position in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, holding approximately 75% of contested seats alongside military-appointed representatives, which facilitated the formation of a USDP-led quasi-civilian government under President Thein Sein starting in March 2011.[6][16] This legislative control enabled the passage of key transitional measures, including the suspension of controversial projects like the Myitsone Dam in September 2011, signaling a shift toward greater responsiveness to public and environmental concerns.[17] The USDP-backed administration pursued economic liberalization by reducing state involvement in sectors such as energy, forestry, and agriculture, alongside establishing an Economic Advisory Unit in April 2011 to guide policy.[18][19] These efforts correlated with accelerated GDP growth, reaching 7.6% in fiscal year 2012/13, driven partly by increased foreign direct investment following the easing of international sanctions.[20] Concurrently, the government negotiated preliminary ceasefires with several ethnic armed organizations, achieving agreements with groups like the Karen National Union in January 2012, though full implementation remained elusive due to ongoing territorial disputes.[17] Partial media reforms included relaxing censorship, allowing private newspapers to resume publication in April 2013, and releasing hundreds of political prisoners, which expanded press freedoms and public discourse.[6] Challenges emerged in balancing entrenched military prerogatives with civilian-oriented reforms, as evidenced by internal USDP tensions over the pace of liberalization and power-sharing. President Thein Sein resigned as USDP chairman on May 2, 2013, amid criticism of his dual role potentially undermining impartial governance, with parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann assuming the position to refocus party efforts on legislative priorities.[21] This transition highlighted debates within the party on maintaining military influence while advancing economic and political openings, though measurable progress in growth and ceasefires underscored the administration's capacity for directed change.[22]Electoral Participation
2010 General Election
The general election on November 7, 2010, marked Myanmar's first parliamentary vote in two decades and operated under the 2008 Constitution, which allocated 25% of seats in both legislative chambers to military appointees and required supermajorities for constitutional amendments.[23] The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by detained opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi, boycotted the polls, arguing that electoral laws—such as restrictions on campaigning and candidate eligibility—prevented a free and fair process, leading to the party's deregistration by authorities.[24] Voter turnout was notably low, with reports of polling stations where officials outnumbered participants, contributing to an overall subdued participation rate amid the boycott and prevailing apathy.[25] The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), formed by former military officials including then-Prime Minister Thein Sein, dominated the campaign with messaging centered on "discipline-flourishing democracy"—a phrase emblematic of the junta's guided transition model—and appeals to national solidarity and stability under continued military influence.[26][23] The party secured a resounding victory, capturing approximately 80% of the popular vote and a supermajority of contested seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house) and Amyotha Hluttaw (upper house), ensuring control alongside the military's reserved bloc.[4][27] Procedural issues drew criticism from domestic opposition groups and international monitors, including United Nations reports documenting discrepancies in voter lists, undue influence in advance voting—where ballots were reportedly collected and funneled to USDP candidates—and instances of votes being reassigned to the party during counting.[28][29] Smaller parties conceded defeat but alleged fraud, such as pre-poll vote buying and intimidation, though comprehensive independent verification was limited by restricted observer access.[30] These concerns, while substantiated in specific cases by observer accounts, occurred within a framework where the USDP's organizational advantages and military ties facilitated its overwhelming success.[31]2015 and 2020 General Elections
In the 2015 general elections held on November 8, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won 30 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw out of 330 contested and 11 seats in the Amyotha Hluttaw out of 168 contested, totaling 41 seats or roughly 8% of the available elected positions in the Union Parliament.[32] [33] This outcome reflected a sharp decline from the party's previous dominance, as voters shifted toward the National League for Democracy (NLD) amid aspirations for accelerated reforms following initial economic and political liberalizations initiated under USDP President Thein Sein.[34] The Union Election Commission certified these results, with the NLD securing a supermajority that enabled it to form the government.[35] The USDP's poor performance underscored public preference for opposition-led change in a first fully competitive nationwide vote since 1990, despite the party's incumbency advantages and military ties.[32] In the 2020 general elections, also on November 8, the USDP further declined, capturing 26 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw and 7 in the Amyotha Hluttaw, amounting to about 6% of contested Union Parliament seats.[36] The party contested the results, alleging systemic fraud by the NLD, including inflated voter rolls, irregularities in advance voting, and vote-buying, which they claimed invalidated up to millions of ballots.[37] [38] These assertions, echoed by military leaders, prompted investigations into electoral processes but were disputed by the Union Election Commission and some international monitors who found discrepancies insufficient to overturn the NLD's supermajority.[39] The USDP's marginal gains in ethnic areas did little to offset broader voter rejection, continuing the trend of preference for NLD governance amid ongoing reforms.[40]| Chamber | 2015 USDP Seats (out of contested) | 2020 USDP Seats (out of contested) |
|---|---|---|
| Pyithu Hluttaw | 30 (330) | 26 (330) |
| Amyotha Hluttaw | 11 (168) | 7 (168) |