Myanmar To Vote In First Contested Election In 25 Years

Published November 6, 2015 at 12:52 PM CST

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Myanmarese officials prepare ballots during advance voting in Yangon on November 6, 2015. The once junta-run nation heads to the polls on November 8 in what voters and observers hope will be the freest election in decades. While NLD party is expected to triumph at key elections this year, Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's pathway to the presidency is blocked by a controversial clause in Myanmar's junta-era constitution. (Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images)

A historic election is set to take place this weekend in one of the world’s most closed countries. Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been under military rule for more than half a century. But on Sunday, it will hold its first contested national election in 25 years.

Myanmar has been slowly moving towards this moment since 2010, when the longtime military dictatorship began loosening its control over the country.

Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd talks with Christian Caryl, a contributing editor at Foreign Policy, about the run-up to the election, and one of its frontrunners, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Guest

Christian Caryl, senior fellow at the Legatum Institute and a Contributing Editor at Foreign Policy magazine. He tweets @ccaryl.