Abstract
The National League for Democracy (NLD) was formed in the wake of the 1988 nationwide pro-democracy uprising and subsequently endured as Myanmar’s leading pro-democracy movement force despite persistent repression by the Tatmadaw (i.e., the national military). After the establishment of a nominally civilian government backed by the military in 2011, the NLD officially entered the arena of party politics. In the 2015 general election, the NLD won a landslide victory and transitioned from an opposition force into the ruling party.
However, after coming to power, the NLD’s governance faced various criticisms. As a movement that had long led the democratization struggle and subsequently transitioned into a ruling party, it was expected to deliver different kinds of outcomes than before, which posed the risk of losing public support. Despite these challenges, the NLD once again achieved a landslide victory in Myanmar’s 2020 general election. How, then, was the NLD able to maintain public support?
This study seeks to answer this question by analyzing the rhetorical strategies used by the NLD to justify electoral support during its 2020 general election campaign.
The findings of this research are as follows:
(1) In the 2020 general election, the NLD highlighted its achievements as the ruling party while maintaining its stance as a pro-democracy challenger. This allowed the party to show its governing ability while retaining its image as a force for change, thereby sustaining public support.
(2) The NLD’s dual positioning reflected both the reality and the widespread perception that Myanmar’s democratization remained incomplete, allowing the NLD to present itself as both the ruling party and the only viable opposition to ongoing military influence in politics.
