Lukashenko claims landslide in election labelled as ‘sham’

The authoritarian Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko achieved another victory in the elections that Western governments described as a mock.

The Central Elections Committee said on Monday that Lukashenko won 86.8 % of the votes and that the participation rate was approximately 87 %.

There were four other names on the polling paper – and it was carefully chosen so that it does not constitute any challenge to the current leadership – but none of the competitors who are worthy of trust in the elections was allowed, as all opposition figures are either in prison or exile abroad.

No independent observers also monitored the vote.

The European Union Foreign Policy Coordinator, Kaja Callas, said that the elections were a blatant insult to democracy, while German Foreign Minister Analina Perpuk said on the X that “the people of Belarus have no choice.”

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

Peskov said that Moscow believes that the Belarusian elections were “completely legitimate, well -organized and transparent” and criticized “the voices launched from the West.”

The leaders of China, Venezuela and Pakistan also extended his congratulations to Lukashenko.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the leader of the Belarusian opposition, rejected the elections, describing it as an “other political farce.”

She announced her victory in the 2020 elections, in which she nominated instead of her imprisoned husband.

Lukashenko mistakenly believed that Tijhanovskaya would not pose a challenge to him, but after seeing she had received tremendous support, she was expelled from the country.

There is no longer opposition now in Belarus, which also closed all independent media.

On Sunday evening, Lukashenko told BBC Steve Rosenberg that his opponents had “chose” prison or exile.

He said: “We have never been forced to leave the country,” adding that “it cannot be very concerned with whether or not it is possible.” [the West] He admits our elections. “

This seventh mandate will be in power in power. Belarus has ruled since 1994.