Belarus has scheduled its next presidential elections for 26 January 2025, marking another significant chapter in the country’s recent turbulent political history. The announcement was made by the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus, led by Igor Karpenko, who confirmed that the commission is prepared to commence the electoral campaign.
The decision to set the date was made during a session of the House of Representatives. State-run Belarusian news outlet BelTA was the first to report the announcement, which has drawn immediate attention due to the country’s contentious political climate.
The last presidential elections in Belarus, held on 9 August 2020, were followed by widespread protests, which were unprecedented in scale for the country. After incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner with 80% of the vote, according to the official results from the CEC, massive demonstrations broke out, challenging the legitimacy of the election. Opposition forces, as well as a large segment of the Belarusian public, rejected the results, alleging widespread electoral fraud.
Opposition and International Reactions
Since those 2020 elections, the democratic opposition in Belarus has consistently called for new, free, and fair elections. They have also sought international support to delegitimise Lukashenko’s presidency, which many international observers and foreign governments have refused to recognise. The European Union (EU), along with the United States and other nations, rejected the 2020 results, citing electoral irregularities and human rights abuses in the aftermath of the vote.
Following the 2020 election, protests in Belarus were met with a severe government crackdown, with thousands of demonstrators being detained. Some of those arrested remain in Belarusian prisons to this day, adding to the tension surrounding the upcoming 2025 vote. The opposition continues to demand the release of political prisoners and a democratic process in the country.
Calls for Non-Recognition
Democratic forces in Belarus have made it clear that they intend to campaign against international recognition of the upcoming elections, much like the efforts they undertook in 2020. Opposition groups argue that the electoral process under the current regime is neither free nor fair, and they expect a similar outcome in January 2025 if reforms are not implemented.
These efforts are expected to be bolstered by continued international scrutiny. The European Union, in particular, may play a key role in determining the legitimacy of the elections. Ukraine, which has its own strained relationship with Belarus due to Lukashenko’s support for Russia amid the ongoing war, also did not recognise the 2020 election results or the subsequent inauguration of Lukashenko. It remains to be seen whether the EU and other international bodies will formally recognise the 2025 vote if conditions remain unchanged.
Political and Electoral Landscape
Igor Karpenko, the head of the Belarusian CEC, stated that the commission is fully prepared for the upcoming elections, although no further details were provided about the mechanisms or reforms to ensure a transparent process. This has led many observers to speculate that the election might follow the same course as in 2020, where the lack of transparency and independent oversight was widely criticised.
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, is widely expected to run again, although there has been no official confirmation of his candidacy. His longstanding grip on power has come under intense international scrutiny, particularly in the wake of the 2020 elections and the subsequent violent crackdown on protests.
Opposition figures, many of whom remain in exile or behind bars, have yet to announce concrete plans for how they will approach the 2025 vote. However, they are expected to continue their calls for democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the opposition leader who fled Belarus after the 2020 elections, has been a vocal advocate for democratic change and is likely to play a significant role in mobilising international support against Lukashenko’s government.
Image source: report.az
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