[quote]Alexander Lukashenko has won a fifth term as president of Belarus with a landslide victory that could see an easing of relations with the west and raise questions about his ties to Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Lukashenko’s re-election five years ago led to mass protests and the imprisonment of leading opposition figures, but support for his 20-year-old regime has risen since he cast himself as a guarantor of stability in the face of economic crisis and a pro-Russia separatist conflict in neighbouring Ukraine.
Lukashenko won 83.5% of the vote, the central election commission said laste on Sunday, slightly more than the 80% he won in the 2010 elections. Turnout was 86.75%, the commission added.
The west has long ostracised Lukashenko’s Belarus – described in 2005 by then US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice as “Europe’s last dictatorship” – over its human rights record and clampdown on political dissent. It has imposed economic sanctions on some Belarusian officials and companies.
Nevertheless, Lukashenko’s criticism of Russia’s annexation of the Crimea peninsula in Ukraine last year, his hosting of Ukraine peace talks and his pardoning of six opposition leaders in August suggest he is seeking to improve his image in the west, observers say.
Belarus president shows how to win five elections – without even trying
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“We have carried out everything the west wanted on the eve of the elections. If there is a desire in the west to improve our relations, nobody and nothing can prevent that,” Lukashenko said as he cast his vote. “The ball is now firmly in the west’s court.”
Relations with Moscow, meanwhile, have shown signs of strain. In September, Vladimir Putin approved a plan to build an airbase in Belarus, but early this month Lukashenko said his country had no need for such a base, appearing to bow to public protests on the eve of the election.
The EU will lift its sanctions on Belarus, including those on Lukashenko, for four months after Sunday’s vote, barring any last-minute crackdown, diplomatic sources said on Friday.[/quote]
[url]http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/11/alexander-lukashenko-expected-to-remain-as-belarusian-president[/url]
Goin 20 years strong
Also pretty interesting article looking at the opinions of different Belarussians
[url]http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/10/belarus-election-voices-hope-apathy-151008094332036.html[/url]
At least he appears to be looking around at the ever dwindling club of dictators and realized that some stuff had to change
Big surprise. Though, when it comes to dictatorships he isn't too bad I suppose?
[QUOTE=thelurker1234;48883882]Big surprise. Though, when it comes to dictatorships he isn't too bad I suppose?[/QUOTE]
He's been pretty fucking bad but I guess his plan to improve his image a bit is working if random outsiders are supporting him because he did a few not terrible things.
[QUOTE=thelurker1234;48883882]Big surprise. Though, when it comes to dictatorships he isn't too bad I suppose?[/QUOTE]
When compared to other dictators he's pretty good, but that's like saying you're a good person compared to a child rapist.
[QUOTE=thelurker1234;48883882]Big surprise. Though, when it comes to dictatorships he isn't too bad I suppose?[/QUOTE]
Well he basically brought back serfdom...
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