Lukashenka to stay in power in Belarus after referendum | The most important political events in Belarus: assessments, forecasts, comments

Against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Alexander Lukashenko secured his continued stay in power in Belarus. About 65 percent of voters voted in a referendum for the relevant amendments to the Constitution, the CEC of Belarus reported on Monday morning, February 28. 10 percent of the participants in the nationwide poll were against it.

Lukashenka has ruled Belarus hard since 1994. The EU did not recognize the results of the 2020 presidential elections, the winner of which was again announced by Lukashenka. International sanctions have been imposed against the Belarusian ruler and his entourage for the brutal suppression of the civil movement in the country.

Amendments to the Constitution will provide Lukashenka with the opportunity to continue to run for the presidency. They also guarantee him lifelong immunity from prosecution should he step down from power.

By amending the constitution, Lukashenko, 67, is following in the footsteps of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who secured constitutional amendments in 2020 allowing him to remain head of state until 2036, AFP reports.

Possibility of Belarus’ refusal of nuclear-free status

The amendments to the Constitution approved in Belarus also allow this country to abandon its non-nuclear status and deploy Russian troops on its territory on a permanent basis.

Belarus inherited part of the Soviet arsenal of nuclear warheads from the former USSR in 1991, but then transferred them to Russia.

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Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
25 years in power
On July 20, 1994, Alexander Lukashenko became the first – and so far the only – president of Belarus, who won 80% of the vote in the second round of elections. His rival, Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kebich, received only 14%. The director of the state farm and member of parliament, Lukashenka then built his election campaign on promises to “start up factories” and defeat corruption. Photo: Lukashenko’s first inauguration in 1994.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
“Old Man” and “the last dictator of Europe”
Shortly after his election, in one of his speeches, Alexander Lukashenko called himself a “father” (in Belarusian – father), who came to restore order in the country. Since then, this nickname has been widely used in relation to Lukashenka in Belarus and beyond. In the West, the Belarusian leader, at the suggestion of the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, was for some time called “the last dictator in Europe.”

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
President with huge powers and an unlimited number of times
After coming to power, Lukashenko began to rebuild the political system for himself. In a referendum in 1995 and 1996, the state symbols were changed, the Russian language became the second state language, and the president’s powers were sharply expanded at the expense of other branches of power. In 2004, in a referendum, the country’s constitution was amended to allow Lukasheno to hold the presidency an unlimited number of times.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Western sanctions
After the referendum in 1996, its results were not recognized by the West, Belarus for the first time fell under EU sanctions. In 2006, Lukashenka himself was included in the sanctions list for violating human rights during the presidential campaign. The sanctions reached their peak after the 2010 elections and the ensuing crackdown on the opposition. In February 2016, the EU Council lifted sanctions from 170 individuals and four companies from Belarus.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Sworn friends
Integration with Russia was one of Lukashenka’s main election slogans. During the years of his presidency, Minsk and Moscow signed a number of agreements and even created the Union State. At the same time, bilateral relations, despite assurances of friendship, were constantly overshadowed by various kinds of conflicts, usually related to oil and gas prices, as well as the supply of Belarusian products to the Russian market.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Restraint in foreign policy
Despite its alliance with Russia, Belarus has not recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Moscow’s annexation of Crimea, for which it has been praised by the West. After the start of the conflict in the Donbass at the initiative of Lukashenka, Minsk became a platform for negotiations. It was in the Belarusian capital that agreements were signed that prescribe the procedure for resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Balancing between Moscow and Brussels
In an effort to get rid of excessive dependence on the Russian Federation, the Belarusian leader has long been trying to establish normal ties with the West. Observers modestly assessed the results of these efforts. However, recently there has been a certain thaw in relations between Belarus and the EU. In March 2019, the then Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz visited Minsk, inviting Lukashenka to pay a return visit to Vienna.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
“Orthodox Atheist”
Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly stressed that he is the president of a country whose citizens profess different religions. Lukashenka once called himself an “Orthodox atheist.” At the same time, he regularly attends church with his sons (pictured) on major religious holidays.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Likely successor?
Lukashenka has three sons – Viktor, Dmitry and Nikolai, born out of wedlock. The existence of the youngest and, as they say, the most beloved son became known when Nikolai was already more than three years old. Since then, the president has often taken Nikolai on trips abroad and to official meetings. The boy met, in particular, with Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama, Pope Benedict XVI, Xi Jinping.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Hockey President
Alexander Lukashenko is a supporter of a healthy lifestyle and a big fan of sports, especially hockey, which he continues to play to this day. Under Lukashenka, ice palaces were built in major cities of the country, and in 2014 Minsk hosted the world ice hockey championship for the first time. In June 2019, the Belarusian capital hosted the II European Games.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Proximity to the people
The Belarusian leader constantly emphasizes that he is close to the people. He regularly arranges trips to the regions, widely covered in the state media, checking the situation on the ground, communicating with local residents and scolding negligent officials. At the same time, Lukashenka willingly demonstrates that he has not forgotten how to do simple work – every year the president participates in the cleanup and harvesting.

Alexander Lukashenko: 25 years in power
Why journalists love Lukashenka
Lukashenka’s many hours of press conferences and speeches are a source of quotations and aphorisms that are widely dispersed in the media. Lukashenka told reporters that he “grew up among plants and animals,” and also promised that “Belarusians will live badly, but not for long.” The president’s statement that “you need to undress and work” made at the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly became a meme, giving rise to a flash mob in social networks.
Author: Alexandra Boguslavskaya