Polling stations have opened in Belarus for Election Day
Polling stations across Belarus have opened for the main day of the presidential election, and will operate from 8am to 8pm local time. Five candidates are registered, including the incumbent president, Alexander Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994.
There are four challengers: Anna Kanopatskaya, a former opposition figure and member of the House of Representatives, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Oleg Gaidukevich, Sergey Syryankov from the Communist Party, and Aleksandr Khizhnyak, the leader of the Republican Party of Labor and Justice.
Over 5,000 polling places have been established in the country. The authorities decided not to open any voting stations abroad, citing security concerns and reduced diplomatic capacity. The country’s relations with the West deteriorated following the suppression of opposition protests after the presidential election in 2020.
The aftermath of the 2020 election sparked widespread protests over allegations of electoral fraud, which Minsk denied, claiming that foreign interference was to blame for the unrest.
Western media outlets frequently refer to Lukashenko as a dictator. In November, he acknowledged the existence of a dictatorship in Belarus, calling it one of “stability, security, order, kindness, and hospitality.” Lukashenko previously stressed the need for a dignified electoral process, avoiding what he described as an “American-style show” that led to violence in the US last year. He stressed that it is crucial for the election to be conducted properly to prevent criticism.
Moscow and Minsk established a Union State partnership in 1999. This relationship has grown increasingly important due to the Ukraine conflict, as Belarus has acted as a strategic ally and logistical center for Russian operations.
In 2024, Russia and Belarus finalized a security treaty responding to the US military buildup across Europe. The agreement foresees plans to station Russia’s new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic missile systems in Belarus by 2025.
