Lawmakers in Belarus have scheduled the next presidential election for January 26, a move that is widely expected to extend the long-standing rule of President Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko, an authoritarian leader who has been in power for nearly three decades, has faced criticism for suppressing political dissent in the country.
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has swiftly denounced the upcoming election, labeling it as a 'farce.' Lukashenko has already announced his intention to seek a seventh consecutive term, with his last victory in the 2020 election being widely condemned as fraudulent by the opposition and Western nations.
