Presidential Elections in Belarus
Presidential elections have begun in Belarus. Among the candidates are Alexander Lukashenko, who has been re-elected 6 times and has led Belarus for over 30 years, Sergeu Syrankov, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Alexander Khizhnyak, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Labor and Justice, Oleg Gaidukevich, the Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, and businesswoman Hanna Kanapatskaya. All of them, except Kanapatskaya, are loyal to Lukashenko’s policies. She previously participated in the 2020 elections, where she received 1.68% of the vote. The ballot also includes a “Against All” option.
Lukashenko has been in power since 1994. The last elections were held in 2020. It followed by mass protests that lasted several months. Protesters demanded fair elections and Lukashenko’s resignation, accusing him of election fraud. The demonstrations were accompanied by mass arrests and violence.
Polling stations outside Belarus will not be opened, with authorities citing difficulties in ensuring security and the reduction of the diplomatic corps following the deterioration of relations with the West after the 2020 elections. Within the country, 5,325 polling stations opened at 8:00 AM and will remain open until 8:00 PM. Over 6.9 million citizens are registered to vote. Early voting took place from January 21 to 25, with only 41.8% of voters participating.