Myanmar’s military on Thursday ended a four-year state of emergency and formed a caretaker administration ahead of planned elections, with the junta chief holding on to all major levers of power

The military government hopes elections can bring more international legitimacy. But the generals will still rule, and opposition groups are boycotting.

Myanmar’s military government announced on Thursday that it was ending the state of emergency declared after it seized power in 2021 and would restructure administrative bodies to prepare for the new election at the end of the year.