Belarus President Lukashenko Eyes Seventh Term in January Election Amid Opposition Protests

International news section 29-10-2024

Opposition groups in Belarus are calling for international non-recognition of the upcoming presidential election, which is poised to extend President Alexander Lukashenko’s three-decade rule. The presidential vote, set for January 26, was officially confirmed by the Central Election Commission (CEC) in a statement released on Wednesday from Minsk. If successful, Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994, would secure a seventh consecutive term.

The CEC’s announcement followed parliamentary approval of the election date. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been accused of repeatedly manipulating election results and suppressing political opposition throughout his rule. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, launched from Belarusian territory in February 2022, Lukashenko has further tightened his grip on dissent, consolidating his control over the country.

Although Lukashenko previously hinted that he would run for re-election in 2025, the decision to hold the election earlier has raised concerns among democratic forces in Belarus. Opposition groups, which have been seeking to oust him since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, argue that the upcoming election will not be free or fair. They have also vowed to push for the international community’s non-recognition of the results.

The opposition’s concerns echo widespread allegations of electoral fraud in past elections, particularly the controversial 2020 vote. That election, which Lukashenko claimed to have won by a large margin, was followed by mass protests, with demonstrators accusing the government of rigging the results. The unrest sparked what many saw as the most serious threat to Lukashenko’s rule, but he ultimately quashed the protests through a severe crackdown. Thousands of demonstrators were either arrested or forced to flee the country, and human rights organizations, such as Viasna, estimate that around 1,300 political prisoners are still detained in Belarus.

One of the most prominent opposition figures, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced into exile following the 2020 election, was quick to denounce the upcoming vote. Tsikhanouskaya had run against Lukashenko in 2020 and claimed to have won more than 60% of the vote, only to be met with repression. In response to the CEC’s announcement, she expressed deep skepticism about the legitimacy of the election process.

“Lukashenka has set the date for his so-called ‘reelection,'” Tsikhanouskaya said on social media, using an alternative spelling of the president’s name. “This is nothing more than a sham with no genuine electoral process, conducted in an atmosphere of fear and repression.” She further criticized the regime’s refusal to allow independent candidates or international election observers, urging both Belarusians and the global community to reject what she described as a “farce.”

Lukashenko’s relationship with the West has been strained for years, despite earlier efforts to balance ties between Russia and Western nations. Following the 2020 crackdown, his regime has leaned increasingly towards Moscow, particularly as tensions with the West have intensified. His decision to permit Russian forces to stage operations against Ukraine from Belarusian territory further entrenched this alliance.

The Belarusian president has also embraced Russia’s plans to station strategic nuclear weapons within Belarus, a move that has heightened regional security concerns. In recent statements, Lukashenko reaffirmed his readiness to use these nuclear weapons if Belarus were to come under attack, escalating fears of potential military conflict in the region.

With Belarus’ political climate increasingly dominated by repression and authoritarianism, the upcoming election is shaping up to be yet another test of the international community’s response to Lukashenko’s extended grip on power. Meanwhile, opposition groups remain defiant, continuing to call for change and urging the world to stand with the people of Belarus.