Alexander G.lukashenko faced an unusual phenomenon in the presidency of Belarus's presidency of the former Soviet republic since 1994: in fact, the opponent who tried to win. His last victory in the elections in 2020 It is widely accepted as a cheaterHe was welcomed by national protests, then the wild pressures supported by Russia and then the penalties of the West.
This time, the seventh victory of Mr. Lukashenko will be softer in the presidential election appointed Sunday. He allowed the participation of the other four other candidates approved by the state, but they only compete to praise it. All of the candidates who could threaten his authority were arrested or sent to exile. He controls the media and all power in his country.
Non-resident employee of the European Policy Analysis Center in Washington Katia Glod, “There is no real choice from Belarus – we are only a funade of candidates from pro-government parties,” he said.
“Currently, it is like in Russia: there are no candidates who can represent an alternative view.”
Mr. Lukashenko is so convinced that it is so convinced that he was very busy with the trial of a new Balta, which is a new Balta, which is a new Balta. Thursday State Media showed him the fire of the fire.
20 years later, Mr. Lukashenko, who declared the United States Last European Center, “Mr. Lukashenko is determined to prove to back and hold the 2020 elections to the country and Russia.
The continuation of his power will help Russia to change the dynamics of the region, which was violated in Ukraine. Belarus was the scene for Moscow's attack, and Mr. Lukashenko remains a heated ally of Russian President Vladimir V. Putin.
But Mr. Lukashenko is also a The president's pardon wave For people arrested during the protests of 2020, in order to reduce the sanctions that punish its country for years.
In 2020, none of the opposition leaders were released and Mr. Lukashenko arrested a large number of opposition supporters before the elections on Sunday.
So, it is not known where Mr. Lukashenko's attempts to maneuver between the East and the West in the past.
Mr. Lukashenko remains an important ally of Russia; He recently said that Belarus has Russian nuclear weapons in his land and will host Moscow's new place Hipper-ballistic missile if it is placed. But He also does not want to be further involved in the war in Ukraine and withdrawed against Russia's demands to send troops.
The softening of the West's penalties will raise the economy. Belarus, especially one of the columns of the economy, has been sanctioned against Potas, which is part of the fertilizer.
However, there has been no sign to the recruitment of the liberation of some prisoners from Washington or Brussels. Some analysts say that his response to the West will carefully watch the election.
“If the regime seeks a small number of neutral positions in the election, it may be possible to release some high-profile prisoners to lower the tension with the West,” Glod said. “If not, perhaps will be completely stopped.”
None of Mr Lukashenko's opponents in the elections did not claim that the result was a question.
The communist party candidate Sergei Syrankov completed three more candidates (Mr. Lukashenko did not participate in the television debate said Monday he said he wanted to be “honest” and who was the second moment of the voting. “Everyone knows that everyone knows that Alexander Lukashenko will win,” he said.
This year's election view is very different from the political awakening in 2020, then hundreds of thousands of people supported the candidates who opposed Mr. Lukashenko.
During the Soviet era, Mr. Lukashenko, the former chief of collective, won the first fair competition in 1994 and promised to make simple people's words.
Since then, six elections have been widely rejected as fraud, which hides increasing dissatisfaction. Even before the 2020 elections, even fans began to think that Mr. Lukashenko reinstated the Covid-19 pandemic, by driving a tractor, vodka and healing their health by making saunas and saunas.
He arrested two presidents in 2020 – Victor Babariko and Sergei Tikhanovsky. Mr Tikhanovsky's wife, political novice, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya appeared as a random leader of the opposition.
Mrs. Tikhanovskaya strengthened his opponents against Mr. Lukashenko with a very popular campaign. However, the presidential party was extensive documented to the party's election night, and this was protested for months.
Mr. Lukashenko, as a result, was pressured by imprisoning the opposition's supporters. All independent media outlets were closed, their editors and correspondents were arrested or sent to exile. Oppositionists who did not escape were arrested.
Five years later, these opposition leaders in the emigrant say that they will not ignore the elections or vote for “any of the above.”
“We call on the Belarus to show that they are against the regime: do not give up in cooperation, ignore the elections, and” none of the above “vote,” said Tikhanovskaya, Lithuania, Lithuania, said in e-mail statements.
“It's not the election, not the Persian,” he said. “There is no place to transparency, fair procedures or opposition candidates and cannot be.”
As in the previous election, Mr. Lukashenko presented himself as the only protector against chaos and strife. O said He recently said, “He did not stick to power” and “will do my best to hand over the government to the new generation.”
However, he did not say he would resign soon and gave his message ready to take harsh measures again.
Belarusian television recently broadcast Neatly designed images that the riot police struggle with the crowd, which is a problem with the fake polling station.
Mr. Lukashenko also has It has been banned Potting voting, deprivation of hundreds of thousands of Belarusli from the right to the election.
Theater, 33-year-old Theater, who fled the country in 2021, told the telephone from London, and I would like to vote for “none of the above.”
As many Belarusian exiles, Mr. Kalbasnikau, who belonged to the prohibited until soon Free Belarus TheaterHe once thought it came to the last leg of the regime. Now, he said that he looked at the 10-year power of Mr. Lukashenko and his emigration.
“It would be a miracle to see my mother and two brothers – I miss them,” said Mr. Kalbasnikau, for about four years.
Many Belarusians say that Mr. Lukashenko's pardon decrees are at least one bright moment.
However, his husband has not believed in Belarusian Tikhanovskaya Lukashenko's good intention in Belarus.
“Repression will continue after January 26: If Lukashenko does not fear the people,” he said, “he said,” he said, “the pardon was not a policy of political, not political change.”
Andrew Higgins contributed to the report.