Lukashenko claims landslide in election labeled ‘shame’

Authoritarian Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko secured yet another victory in an election labeled an embarrassment by Western governments.

The Central Election Committee said 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 so as not to pose a challenge to the current leadership – but no credible contenders were allowed to run in the election as all opposition figures are either in prison or in exile abroad.

No independent observers are monitoring the vote either.

EU foreign policy chief Kadja Kalas said the election was a blow to democracy, while German Foreign Minister Analena Baerbock posted on X that “the people of Belarus have no choice.”

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin – who has ruled Russia since 2000 – congratulated his close ally Lukashenko on his “solid victory”.

Peskov said Moscow believed the elections in Belarus were “absolutely legitimate, well-organized, transparent elections” and blocked “the voices coming from the West”.

The leaders of China, Venezuela and Pakistan also offered their congratulations to Lukashenko.

Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya dismissed the election as “another political farce”.

She claimed victory in the 2020 election, in which she stood opposed to her imprisoned husband.

Lukashenko mistakenly believed that Tsikhanovskaya would not challenge him – but after she appeared to have won huge support, she was kicked out of the country.

There is no opposition left in Belarus, which has also shut down all its independent media.

On Sunday night, Lukashenko told the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg that his opponents had “chosen” prison or exile.

“We have never forced anyone out of the country,” he said, adding that he “couldn’t care less if (the West) recognizes our election.”

This will be Lukashenko’s seventh term in power. He has ruled Belarus since 1994.