Mon Jan 27 10:34:21 UTC 2025: ## Lukashenko Declared Winner in Widely Condemned Belarusian Election

MINSK, Belarus – Longtime Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has been declared the winner of Sunday’s presidential election, securing a seventh term with a reported 86.8% of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission. However, the election has been widely condemned by Western governments and opposition groups as neither free nor fair.

The Belarusian electoral body announced Lukashenko’s victory on Monday, citing a voter turnout of 85.7%. His four opponents, all considered loyalists, offered little opposition to his 30-year rule.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Lukashenko on his “convincing victory,” European leaders strongly criticized the election. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called it a “bitter day” for those seeking freedom and democracy in Belarus, highlighting the imprisonment of over 1,200 individuals for speaking out against the regime. Similar sentiments were expressed by other Western nations.

The election was held amidst a backdrop of ongoing repression. Independent media outlets are banned, and leading opposition figures are either jailed or in exile. This mirrors the 2020 election, which sparked massive protests and resulted in a brutal crackdown on dissent, leading to the imprisonment of over 1,000 people, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski.

Lukashenko defended the imprisonment of his opponents, claiming they had chosen their own fate. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya dismissed the election as a “ritual for dictators.” The Belarusian leader’s increasingly close ties with Russia, including the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil, further underscore the authoritarian nature of his regime.

Read More