Presidential elections have started in Belarus: Lukashenka is elected for the seventh time
Today, January 26, 2025, presidential elections began in Belarus. At 8:00 a.m. local time, 5,325 polling stations opened and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. In addition, voters who cannot come to the polling station due to health or other reasons have the opportunity to vote at home by submitting a corresponding request to the election commission. About this informs “Belta”.
Five candidates are participating in the elections, including the incumbent President Oleksandr Lukashenko. In addition to him, Oleg Haidukevych, Serhiy Sirankov, Anna Kanapatska and Oleksandr Khizhnyak are running for the post of president. According to the Central Election Commission of Belarus, early voting, which lasted from January 21 to 25, allowed 41.81% of voters included in the lists to vote.
The peculiarity of these elections is that Belarusian citizens living abroad do not have the opportunity to vote, since the country’s legislation does not provide for the creation of precincts outside Belarus. Also, the country’s government did not invite the OSCE international mission to monitor the election process, which violates the state’s international obligations.
The preliminary presidential elections in Belarus were held on August 9, 2020. According to official data, the victory was won by Oleksandr Lukashenko, but these results were not recognized by the opposition and a number of countries. After the elections, the country was covered by mass protests that lasted for several months.
Lukashenko has led Belarus since 1994, becoming the first president of the country. During his reign, he repeatedly changed legislation and held referendums, which allowed him to expand his own powers and remain in power for more than three decades. In 2004, the limit on the number of presidential terms was abolished, which gave Lukashenka the opportunity to run for office without restrictions.
In all previous elections, according to the official data of the CEC, Lukashenko won with more than 80% of the vote. His long tenure and management methods have been repeatedly criticized both in Belarus and abroad. The current elections are also attracting considerable attention of the international community, as the result may affect the political situation in the region.
