"Belarusian President Lukashenko's Re-election Plan Amid Controversial Election"

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, announced his intention to seek re-election next year as the opposition boycotted the parliamentary and local elections, labeling them a "sham." The US condemned the elections as undemocratic, and opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya urged voters to boycott the poll, stating that the regime's attempt to legitimize its power through the elections would not succeed. Most candidates belong to pro-regime parties, and Lukashenko warned of no rebellions during the election, following a crackdown on political prisoners and their families.