The vote further cemented the 30-year rule of President Alexander Lukashenko, who declared his intention to seek another five-year term in a presidential election next year. Lukashenko has relied on subsidies and political support from his main ally, Russia, to survive the protests. Ahead of the vote, Lukashenko alleged without offering evidence that Western countries were pondering plans to stage a coup in the country or to seize power by force. “The authorities tested a rigid model of holding an election amid unprecedented repressions -- without the opposition, international observers or protests,” said independent Belarusian political analyst Valery Karbalevich. “This model resembling a military operation will be used for the presidential election next year.”

Source: ABC News February 26, 2024 13:58 UTC