Introduction

The Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, hereafter ‘Burma’, announced in July this year that it would hold elections for national, state, and regional parliaments on 8 November 2015. As this has the potential to be Burma’s first credible national poll in 25 years, the expectations surrounding the elections are high. The results of the national parliamentary election will feed into the selection of the next president in early 2016. This Quick Guide outlines Burma’s political and electoral system, major parties and candidates, key issues and challenges, and briefly discusses the elections’ potential domestic and international implications.