The incumbent president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has reportedly secured a significant lead in the presidential election, according to official results. According to a survey conducted by the state-run news agency Belta, Lukashenko received 87.6% of the votes cast, with his closest rival, Sergei Syrankov, garnering 2.7% of the total votes.
Oleg Gaidukevich and Anna Kanopatskaya trailed behind, with 1.8% and 1.6% of the votes, respectively. Lukashenko, who is 70 years old, is poised to secure his seventh term in office.
Western observers have consistently questioned the democratic credentials of the Belarusian elections, with the exception of the first one in 1994. While some experts argue that the results may be manipulated to achieve high approval ratings, others suggest that the extent of manipulation is not always clear-cut. Lukashenko’s control over the media and the alleged exclusion of serious opposition candidates have raised concerns about the fairness of the election process.