YANGON -- Myanmar's ruling party may face an uphill battle in upcoming by-elections on Saturday amid slowing economic growth and growing disillusionment among minorities who hoped for change under de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
This will mark the first national election since Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy took power a year ago. Voters will fill 12 vacancies in the national parliament and seven in regional assemblies, many of which were created when lawmakers joined the cabinet last March. The NLD is pledging continued reforms and is showing well in urban areas.