The military in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) has announced that a general election - the country's first in 20 years - will be held on 7 November.
The last election in 1990 was won by a landslide by the political party led by opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
But she was never allowed to take power and the military has ruled ever since.
Her party, the National League for Democracy, has now been disbanded.
Critics say this election will also be a sham. A new constitution reserves 25% of the new parliament for the military.
The BBC reports several of the parties registered for the polls are also viewed as proxies of the military.
Ms Suu Kyi, who has spent much of the past 20 years in jail or under house arrest, is barred from standing.
