As expected, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenka was re-elected for a seventh term in Belarus's 26 January presidential election. According to the official results, the autocrat won 86.2 percent of the vote. Of his four rivals - all more or less close to the regime - none received more than 3.21 percent. The turnout was 85.7 percent.

Both the Belarusian opposition in exile and the member states of the European Union – with the notable exception of Hungary — contested the vote, which they described as “neither free nor democratic”. The EU denounced the “relentless and unprecedented level of repression” in the country, where human rights are flouted and press freedom is non-existent, which “deprived the electoral process of any legitimacy”.


Receive the best of European journalism straight to your inbox every Thursday

More comments Become a member to translate comments and participate

Are you a news organisation, a business, an association or a foundation? Check out our bespoke editorial and translation services.

Support border-free European journalism

See our subscription offers, or donate to bolster our independence

On the same topic