AFP :
The upcoming Belarusian election is set to extend the 30-year rule of Alexander Lukashenko, who is often referred to as “Europe’s last dictator.”
In the 2020 presidential election, Lukashenko claimed an 80% victory, leading to accusations of fraud, widespread protests, and a brutal crackdown that saw thousands arrested, reports AP.
To prevent a repeat of such unrest, Lukashenko has moved the 2025 election from August to the colder month of January, when protests are less likely.
With many of his political rivals either imprisoned or living in exile, the 70-year-old Lukashenko is poised for a seventh term, solidifying his position as the only leader most Belarusians have known since the Soviet Union’s dissolution.
Belarus, once part of the Soviet Union, has a population of 9 million and is located between Russia, Ukraine, and NATO member states. Its close relationship with Russia and President Vladimir Putin has been central to Lukashenko’s rule, with Belarus providing military support, including allowing Russian forces to invade Ukraine in 2022 and hosting Russian nuclear weapons.
