Burma Elections: Voting, But Not As We Know It

On November 7 Burma goes to the polls, for the first time in twenty years. The elections will be neither free nor fair, and are likely to result in military-dominated national and provincial administrations. However, a large number of independent parties will participate, hoping that this imperfect process will at least bring some change, slowly opening up accountability and political debate in a country dominated by the military for half a century. Will the polls have the minimal credibility for them to be endorsed by western countries? China, India and other regional powers are likely to have fewer scruples.