Belarus: Lukashenko claims landslide in election labelled as 'sham'

No credible opponents were allowed to run against Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since the 1990s.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersBelarus ruler claims landslide in 'sham' election1 day agoLaura GozziBBC NewsGetty ImagesAlexander Lukashenko has, to date, been the only leader of Belarus since the dissolution of the Soviet UnionAuthoritarian Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has secured another victory in an election labelled by Western governments as a sham.

The Central Election Committee stated on Monday that Lukashenko won 86.8% of the vote and that turnout was almost 87%.

There were four other names on the ballot - carefully chosen to present no challenge to the current leadership - but no credible contenders were allowed to take part in the election, as all opposition figures are either in jail or in exile abroad.

No independent observers monitored the vote, either.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the election had been a blatant affront to democracy, while German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock posted on X that "the people of Belarus had no choice".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjdzyzxd97o

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