February 25, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka who has been in power in Belarus since 1994 has announced his intention to run in the 2025 presidential race.
“Tell them [the opposition] that I will run!” his press office reported, citing him as saying at a polling station after voting in the parliamentary and local elections.
“People are starting to see that being president of Belarus is a tough job!” he said. “Not everyone will dare to do it. The same applies to the parliament. Its role will be constantly expanding. I’ve always maintained that we should follow the evolutionary path. We are moving forward at ease and modernizing the system. This is my task and the task of all those who work with me.”
The Belarusian ruler praised the ongoing elections for being open and fair. “Reliable people who understand the challenges facing the country” would win as “difficult times are ahead,” he added.
In October 2020, Łukašenka reportedly said that six terms were enough for him and he would not run again.
Today, Belarus is holding elections for the House of Representatives and local councils. Minsk has not invited observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe this year but said that nearly 300 international monitors have been deployed. Most represent the Commonwealth of Independent States and other Russia-led bodies.
The electoral campaign took place amid mass-scale reprisals and a political landscape purge. Not a single opposition candidate was allowed to run, while law enforcers and propaganda workers feature prominently among the potential MPs.
The central election commission reported a record early voting turnout of 41.71 percent.
