Neither the EU, Britain or the United States recognize Lukashenko’s government as legitimate. The fraudulent 2020 presidential election sparked mass protests that led to Lukashenko’s downfall before a brutal crackdown to curb protesters and opponents backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Lukashenko has been in power for 30 years. Tomorrow, he will re-elect himself in another sham election,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on the eve of the vote on X. “This is a terrible thing for democracy. Lukashenko has no legitimacy.”
Expelled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya protested the election in the Polish capital Warsaw on Sunday. “Today, we marched for freedom in Warsaw. United and shaken, honored our heroes who gave their lives for freedom,” she posted on X alongside a photo of the demonstration.
“Together we are unstoppable,” she said. “As Belarusians, we will never lose hope. We will take our country back and return home stronger than ever.”
In an interview with Politico last week, Tsikhanouskaya urged world leaders to be “prepared for the next moment of opportunity” and to have a “strategy” so they can take advantage of the next potential tipping point when Lukashenko’s dictator falls.
“There will be two alternatives in Belarus,” she said. “It will be pro-Russian or pro-democracy forces, such as Lukashenko’s followers,” she said.
