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100-466: Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (also transliterated as Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka ; born 30 August 1954) is a Belarusian politician who has been the president of Belarus since the office's establishment in 1994, making him the current longest-serving head of state in Europe . Before embarking on his political career, Lukashenko worked as the director of a state farm ( sovkhoz ) and served in both

200-577: A state visit , which was his first in three years to an EU country. During the visit, he met with President Alexander Van der Bellen , Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein , and National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka . He also paid his respects at the Soviet War Memorial at the Schwarzenbergplatz . During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic , he undertook two working visits to Russia , one of

300-400: A change in the constitution , term limits were eliminated. In the 2022 constitutional referendum , a limit of two terms was reimposed, though only on "newly elected presidents". During the course of the office, elections were held in 1994 , 2001 , 2006 , 2010 , 2015 and 2020 . Alexander Lukashenko is the only person to serve as president since the 1994 elections. The presidential office

400-618: A duck". On 19 March 2006, exit polls showed Lukashenko winning a third term in a landslide, amid opposition reports of vote-rigging and fear of violence. The Belarusian Republican Youth Union gave Lukashenko 84.2% and Milinkevich 3.1%. The Gallup Organisation noted that the Belarusian Republican Youth Union are government-controlled and released the exit poll results before noon on election day even though voting stations did not close until 8 pm. Belarusian authorities vowed to prevent any large-scale demonstrations following

500-477: A flower bed, waving at security personnel and in reference to protesters, saying "we will deal with them". On 30 August, the Independence Palace became again a scene of protests. When questioned about the whereabouts of Alexander Lukashenko on this day, his publicity team released an undated photograph of him walking around the grounds of the Independence Palace holding a gun. On 23 September 2020, Lukashenko

600-850: A milkmaid in Alexandria, a small village in the east of Belarus, close to the Russian border. Lukashenko went to Alexandria secondary school. He graduated from the Mogilev Pedagogical Institute (now Mogilev State A. Kuleshov University ) in Mogilev in 1975 after 4 years of studies. He also completed studies at the Belarusian Agricultural Academy in Horki in 1985. He served in the Soviet Border Troops from 1975 to 1977, where he

700-520: A national vote. To be registered as a candidate for the presidency the prospective candidate is first required to have an initiative group of citizens containing no fewer than 100 persons. The initiative group must be registered with the Central Elections Commission no later than 85 days before the election. If successfully registered, the nominated candidate is tasked with collecting at least 100,000 valid signatures from eligible voters. If

800-784: A private gymnasium in the Drazdy district of Minsk, which was operated by the company founded by Irina Abelskaya. Alexander later said in June 2023 that Nikolai was studying at Peking University . In August 2024, Nikolai Lukashenko was added to the sanctions list of Canada. Lukashenko appeared in public for the first time in 2008. He has attracted significant media attention as his father, President Alexander Lukashenko, has frequently taken him to official ceremonies and state visits, including meetings with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez , Russia 's president Dmitry Medvedev , Pope Benedict XVI , and US president Barack Obama . According to his father, this

900-418: A result of the crackdown on opposition supporters. Lukashenko was supportive of China's Belt and Road Initiative global infrastructure development strategy, and the inception in 2012 of the associated low-tax China–Belarus Industrial Park near Minsk National Airport planned to grow to 112 square kilometres (43 sq mi) by the 2060s. On 11 October 2015, Lukashenko was elected for his fifth term as

1000-482: A special program, we will decide how many potatoes we need for the domestic market, how many potatoes we can sell" and that "we'll bring back this crop that is very valuable to us". Later, Lukashenko received the nickname "potato führer " from his detractors. Lukashenko was one of ten candidates registered for the presidential election held in Belarus on 19 December 2010. Though originally envisaged for 2011, an earlier date

1100-456: A tougher stance against Lukashenko. The US was particularly angered by the arms sales, and American political leaders increasingly began to refer to Belarus as "Europe's last dictatorship". The EU was concerned for the security of its gas supplies from Russia, which are piped through Belarus, and took an active interest in Belarusian affairs. With the accession of Poland , Latvia and Lithuania ,

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1200-602: Is consistent with the retaining of Soviet-era symbolism , including the Russian language , coat of arms and national flag . These symbols were adopted after a controversial 1995 referendum . Subsequent to the same referendum, Lukashenko acquired increased power, including the authority to dismiss the Supreme Council. Another referendum in 1996 further facilitated his consolidation of power. Lukashenko has since presided over an authoritarian government and has been labeled by

1300-569: Is further sent to the Supreme Court for review. The actions of either option must occur one month after the resolution is passed or the action will be considered void by the Constitution. Under Article 79 of the Constitution, the president is immune from arrest, with exception to the treason/grave crimes clauses listed in Article 88 in the same document. Also under Article 79, the honor and dignity of

1400-680: Is located in the Palace of the Republic in the capital Minsk , while the presidential residence is located in Zaslawye , near the capital. Lukashenko heads an authoritarian government and has often been referred to as "Europe's last dictator ". Elections are not considered to be free and fair by international monitors , opponents of the regime are repressed , and the media is not free . [REDACTED] CIS Member State Parliamentary elections Belarus first declared independence in early 1918 as

1500-556: Is sent to the House of Representatives and is accepted by them. The president has the ability to be removed from office if their physical or mental health is impaired under Article 88. In order for this to happen, a two-thirds majority must be reached in the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic on the resolution to remove the president. An ad hoc committee is formed and must make

1600-404: Is the personification of unification of the Belarusian state when conducting foreign or internal affairs and shall be the main representative when dealing with other nations or international organizations. The president is also entrusted with the safety, prosperity and stability of the country and acts as an intermediary between the bodies of the national government. During their tenure in office,

1700-403: Is the third son of Alexander Lukashenko , the president of Belarus . There has been no official commentary regarding the identity of Nikolai's mother. However, according to a widespread version, his mother is Irina Abelskaya  [ pl ; ru ] , a former personal physician of Alexander Lukashenko. Alexander Lukashenko remains formally married to his wife Galina Lukashenko , although

1800-476: Is unknown and there are varying rumours about the identity of Lukashenko's father. The most common suggestion is that the man was a Roma passing through the region. His mother, Ekaterina Trofimovna Lukashenko (1924–2015), had given birth to another son, older than Alexander, who later died on an unknown date. Ekaterina worked unskilled jobs on a railway, at a construction site, at a flax factory in Orsha and finally as

1900-756: The Belarusian Democratic Republic . Its head of state was the president of a provisional supreme governing body, the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic . In 1919, the Soviet Red Army forced the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic into exile where the Rada still exists, now led by President Ivonka Survilla . Under Soviet rule, the de facto leader of the Byelorussian SSR was

2000-581: The Belarusian Popular Front led by Zianon Pazniak and the Belarusian Social Democratic Assembly led by Oleg Trusov (b. Алег Анатолевіч Трусаў) began a hunger strike in the parliamentary meeting room and stayed there overnight on the night of 11–12 April. At night, under the pretext of a bomb threat, unidentified law enforcement personnel attacked and forcibly expelled the deputies. Lukashenko stated that he personally ordered

2100-532: The Constitutional , Supreme and Economic Court must be present. Upon reading of the oath, any powers held by a previous president will be transferred to the president-elect. The text of the oath can be found in Article 83 of the Constitution. Articles 87 through 89 of the Constitution deal with how the presidency can change hands in-between election cycles. The president has the ability to resign from office at any time under Article 87. The letter of resignation

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2200-513: The Council of the Republic and local representative bodies. They can also dissolve both chambers of the Parliament, as the Constitution permits. It is their duty to appoint the prime minister of the Republic of Belarus , and to decide the structure of the Government of the Republic of Belarus . The president signs bills, and has the right to veto and return it, fully or in parts, with objections to

2300-480: The Movement Against Illegal Immigration , stated that they would like to see Lukashenko become President of Russia in 2008. Lukashenko responded that he would not run for the Russian presidency, but that if his health was still good, he might run for reelection in 2011. In September 2008, parliamentary elections were held . Lukashenko had allowed some opposition candidates to stand, though in

2400-551: The Palace of Independence to mark Bakiyev's 70th birthday, which he had marked several days earlier. The meeting, which included the presentation of traditional flowers and symbolic gifts, angered the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry which stated that the meeting "fundamentally does not meet the principles of friendship and cooperation between the two countries". In November 2019, Lukashenko visited the Austrian capital of Vienna on

2500-701: The Soviet Border Troops and the Soviet Army . In 1990, Lukashenko was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , he assumed the position of head of the interim anti-corruption committee of the Supreme Council of Belarus . In 1994, he won the presidency in the country's inaugural presidential election after

2600-447: The 199-member Belarusian parliament signed a petition to impeach Lukashenko on charges of violating the Constitution. Shortly after that, a referendum was held on 24 November 1996 in which four questions were offered by Lukashenko and three offered by a group of Parliament members. The questions ranged from social issues, including changing the independence day to 3 July (the date of the liberation of Minsk from Nazi forces in 1944) and

2700-435: The 1996 referendum extended Lukashenko's term for two additional years. In the 9 September 2001 election, Lukashenko faced Vladimir Goncharik and Sergei Gaidukevich . During the campaign, Lukashenko promised to raise the standards of farming, social benefits and increase industrial output of Belarus. Lukashenko won in the first round with 75.65% of the vote. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said

2800-491: The Central Elections Commissions find that this threshold has been reached, the candidate is officially certified to run for the presidency. In the voting, the secret ballots are collected directly from eligible voters. The election is valid only if more than 50 % of registered voters cast a ballot. During the first round of voting, if a candidate earns fifty percent plus one of the votes, they are declared

2900-533: The EU's border with Belarus has grown to more than 1000 kilometers. During a televised address to the nation on 7 September 2004, Lukashenko announced plans for a referendum to eliminate presidential term limits. This was held on 17 October 2004, the same day as parliamentary elections, and, according to official results, was approved by 79.42% of voters. Previously, Lukashenko had been limited to two terms and thus would have been constitutionally required to step down after

3000-513: The House of Representatives. They also appoint – and can dismiss – the deputy Prime ministers, the ministers and the other members of the Government, and they decide in cases of resignation of the Government, or any of its members. The president appoints the chairperson of the Supreme Court , and can dismiss this chairperson and other judges. The president is supposed to deliver annual messages to

3100-418: The Parliament, and has the right to participate in the sessions of Parliament and its bodies. In instances of strike, the president has the right, in instances specified in the law, to defer or suspend a strike for a period not exceeding three months. In international affairs, it is the president's duty to conduct negotiations and sign international treaties, and to appoint and recall diplomatic representatives of

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3200-482: The President-elect. If no one has achieved that number during the first round, then a run-off election will occur between two candidates who won the most votes. The person who wins the most votes in the run-off is declared the president-elect. In the event the office is vacant, the election to replace the president must occur between thirty and seventy days after the vacancy occurred. During normal election cycles,

3300-588: The Republic of Belarus, and can appoint and dismiss the state secretary of the Security Council and the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces. Before any person can assume the office officially, an oath must be sworn within two months of the election results being finalized. The text of the oath is as follows: Assuming the office of President of the Republic of Belarus, I solemnly swear to faithfully serve

3400-408: The Republic. Not only is the president the head of government, they are the social leader of Belarus. The president delivers messages to the citizens several times a year and can issue decrees to establish red letter days and national holidays. The president is the main authority for the granting of Belarusian citizen and can present state decorations to honored individuals. The president also has

3500-542: The Russia-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) differed on the Belarusian election. The OSCE declared on 20 March 2006 that the "presidential election failed to meet OSCE commitments for democratic elections." Lukashenko "permitted State authority to be used in a manner which did not allow citizens to freely and fairly express their will at

3600-580: The Russian President, Vladimir Putin , telephoned Lukashenko and offered a message of congratulations and support. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq , American intelligence agencies reported that aides of Saddam Hussein managed to acquire Belarusian passports while in Syria, but that it was unlikely that Belarus would offer a safe haven for Saddam and his two sons. This action, along with arms deals with Iraq and Iran , prompted Western governments to take

3700-500: The Supreme Soviet chairman Stanislav Shushkevich and prime minister Vyacheslav Kebich , of corruption including stealing state funds for personal purposes. While the charges ultimately proved to be without merit, Shushkevich resigned his chairmanship due to the embarrassment of this series of events and losing a vote of no-confidence. He was in that position until July 1994. A new Belarusian constitution enacted in early 1994 paved

3800-664: The West for the free fall of the currency. Lukashenko blamed foreign governments for conspiring against him and, in April 1998, expelled ambassadors from the Drazdy complex near Minsk and moved them to another building. The Drazdy conflict caused an international outcry and resulted in a travel ban on Lukashenko from the EU and the US. Although the ambassadors eventually returned after the controversy died down, Lukashenko stepped up his rhetorical attacks against

3900-575: The West. He stated that Western governments were trying to undermine Belarus at all levels, even sports, during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano , Japan. Upon the outbreak of the Kosovo War in 1999, Lukashenko suggested to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević that Yugoslavia join the Union of Russia and Belarus. Under the original constitution, Lukashenko should have been up for reelection in 1999. However,

4000-472: The ability to determine the status of asylum seekers and grant pardons to convicted citizens. As the supreme commander-in-chief of the Belarusian Armed Forces , the president has the duty to protect the Belarusian territory from internal and external forces. The president can call for a state of emergency in the following cases: natural disasters, a catastrophe, or unrest involving violence or

4100-413: The abolition of the death penalty, to the national constitution. As a result of the referendum, the constitution that was amended by Lukashenko was accepted and the one amended by the Supreme Council was voided. On 25 November, it was announced that 70.5% of voters, of an 84% turnout, had approved the amended constitution. The US and the EU, however, refused to accept the legitimacy of the referendum. After

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4200-408: The adoption of a new constitution . Lukashenko opposed economic shock therapy during the 1990s post-Soviet transition, maintaining state ownership of key industries in Belarus. This spared Belarus from recessions as devastating as those in other post-Soviet states and the former Eastern Bloc countries which prevented the rise of oligarchy . Lukashenko's maintenance of socialist economic model

4300-483: The ballot box... a pattern of intimidation and the suppression of independent voices... was evident throughout the campaign." The heads of all 25 EU countries declared that the election was "fundamentally flawed". In contrast, the Russian minister of foreign affairs declared, "Long before the elections, the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights had declared that they [the elections] would be illegitimate and it

4400-572: The case following the rise to power of Vladimir Putin , replacing reformist president Boris Yeltsin . Lukashenko played a crucial role in creating the Union State of Russia and Belarus , enabling Belarusians and Russians to travel, work, and study freely between the two countries. He also reportedly played a crucial role in brokering a deal to end the Russian Wagner Group rebellion in 2023, allowing some Wagner soldiers into Belarus. Lukashenko

4500-549: The controversial issue of the Russification of Belarus . Lukashenko said he would press ahead with the referendum regardless of opposition in the Supreme Council and threatened to suspend its activities if it did not agree to hold the referendum. On 11 April 1995, a vote was held in parliament on calling a referendum on four issues proposed by Lukashenko: 1) granting Russian the status of a state language, 2) changing state symbols, 3) on economic integration with Russia and 4) on giving

4600-417: The couple have not lived together or been seen together for the past three decades. Nikolai has two half-brothers on his father Alexander's side and one (presumed) half-brother on his mother's side, Dmitry Evgen'evich Abelskiy. In a 2016 interview, Irina seemed to implicitly refer to Nikolai when asked whether she would like her "youngest son" to become a doctor as she comes from a family of doctors, her reply

4700-648: The current parliament given the way it was formed. Lukashenko was elected chairman of the Belarusian Olympic Committee in 1997. At the start of 1998, the Central Bank of Russia suspended trading in the Belarusian ruble , which led to a collapse in the value of the currency. Lukashenko responded by taking control of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus , sacking the entire bank leadership and blaming

4800-471: The determination about the state of health before any motion can begin. If the president has committed a grave crime, such as treason , one-third of the House must bring charges against the president formally. The investigation of the charges will be conducted by the Council of the Republic. In order to evict the president from office, a two-thirds majority is needed to vote in favor of conviction. The criminal case

4900-626: The election (such as those that marked the Orange Revolution in Ukraine). Despite their efforts, the opposition had the largest number of demonstrators in years, with nightly protests in Minsk continuing for a number of days after the election. The largest protest occurred on election night; reporters for the Associated Press estimated that approximately 10,000 people turned out. Election observers from

5000-454: The election process "failed to meet international standards". Jane's Intelligence Digest surmised that the price of Russian support for Lukashenko ahead of the 2001 presidential election was the surrender of Minsk's control over its section of the Yamal–Europe gas pipeline . After the results were announced declaring Lukashenko the winner, Russia publicly welcomed Lukashenko's re-election;

5100-505: The election was seen as comparatively open as a result of desire to improve relations with both Europe and the US. On election day, two presidential candidates were seriously beaten by police in different opposition rallies. On the night of the election, opposition protesters chanting "Out!", "Long live Belarus!" and other similar slogans attempted to storm the building of the government of Belarus, smashing windows and doors before riot police were able to push them back. The number of protesters

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5200-637: The election, during a special meeting of the parliament, the Supreme Council . Shortly after his inauguration, he addressed the State Duma of the Russian Federation in Moscow proposing a new Union of Slavic states, which would culminate in the creation of the Union of Russia and Belarus in 1999. In February 1995, Lukashenko announced his intention to hold a referendum. For the young democratic republic this raised

5300-472: The elections must occur before the last two months of the current president. In either situation, the government body that calls for elections is the House of Representatives . The last round of presidential elections occurred in 2020 . President Lukashenko, when addressing the press in February 2007, stated his health will determine if he will run in 2011 or step down at that time. Articles 84 and 85 states

5400-463: The evacuation for security purposes. The Supreme Council accepted to hold the referendum on 13 April and in May 1995, Belarusian authorities held a referendum on the four issues. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly found neither the referendum nor the 1995 Belarusian parliamentary election which took place in the same month to have met conditions for free and fair elections. In the summer of 1996, deputies of

5500-425: The few European leaders to undertake foreign visits during the pandemic. He also received Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán during his state visit to Minsk. Orbán called for an end to EU sanctions on Belarus during this visit. His first visit to Russia was to attend the rescheduled Moscow Victory Day Parade on Red Square together with his son. On 9 August 2020, according to the preliminary count, Lukashenko

5600-568: The first secretary of the Communist Party of Byelorussia , the only legal party in Soviet Belarus. The Republic of Belarus was formed in 1991 shortly after declaring itself independent of the Soviet Union . From independence until passage of the Constitution in 1994, the chairman of the Supreme Soviet was the head of state and the prime minister as the head of government. When the office of

5700-595: The games were on budget and on time and eventually he opened the 2nd edition of the event on 21 June. Between 1–3 July 2019, he oversaw the country's celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Minsk Offensive , which culminated in an evening military parade of the Armed Forces of Belarus on the last day, which is the country's Independence Day . In August 2019, Lukashenko met with former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev , who has lived in exile in Minsk since 2010, in

5800-484: The hospital on the 30th in labour but not given birth until after midnight. His maternal grandfather, Trokhym Ivanovich Lukashenko, was born near Shostka in the then Russian Empire , now in the Ukrainian village known today as Sobycheve . Lukashenko grew up without a father in his childhood, leading him to be taunted by his schoolmates for having an unmarried mother. Due to this, the origin of his patronymic Grigorevich

5900-511: The incumbent Lukashenko defeated the other candidates within the first ballot. As of 22 March 2024 , he is the only person to have served as President of Belarus. Article 79 of the Constitution of Belarus gives the status of head of state to the president of the Republic of Belarus. They are also considered the guardian of the Constitution and the rights and freedoms of those who claim Belarusian citizenship or residency. The president

6000-638: The largest seen during his rule. Consequently, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States do not recognise Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus following the disputed election. Such isolation from parts of the West has increased his dependence on Russia , with whom Lukashenko had already maintained close ties despite some disagreements related to trade . This has been particularly

6100-423: The latter regarded as the clear favorite. Lukashenko won 45.1% of the vote while Kebich received 17.4%, Zianon Pazniak received 12.9% and Shushkevich, along with two other candidates, received less than 10% of votes. Lukashenko won the second round of the election on 10 July with 80.1% of the vote. The presidential inauguration was held in the halls of the Government House , on 20 July 1994, exactly ten days after

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6200-479: The media as "Europe's last dictator". International monitors have not regarded Belarusian elections as free and fair , except for his initial win. The government suppresses opponents and limits media freedom . This has resulted in multiple Western governments imposing sanctions on Lukashenko and other Belarusian officials . Lukashenko's contested victory in the 2020 presidential election preceded allegations of vote-rigging , amplifying anti-government protests ,

6300-421: The military drills that were part of the Zapad 2017 exercise . In August 2018, Lukashenko fired his prime minister Andrei Kobyakov and various other officials due to a corruption scandal. Sergei Rumas was appointed to take his place as prime minister. In May 2017, Lukashenko signed a decree on the Foundation of the Directorate of the 2019 European Games in Minsk . In April 2019, Lukashenko announced that

6400-413: The national flag, making the standard almost square. The standard is bordered by a golden fringe . There are several copies of the standard; the original is kept in the office of the president while other copies are used on buildings, residences and vehicles to denote their presence. The next Belarusian presidential election will be held in 2025; the last election was held in 2020 in which Lukashenko

6500-426: The official political, social and national defense duties that are rested with the president. Other than the enumerated powers, Number 30 allows the president to use other powers granted to them either from national law or from other sections of the Constitution. Part of the prerogative of the president is the right to call referendums , and to call regular and extraordinary elections to the House of Representatives,

6600-485: The official results, opposition members failed to get any of the 110 available seats. OSCE observers described the vote as "flawed", including "several cases of deliberate falsification of results". Opposition members and supporters demonstrated in protest. According to the Nizhny Novgorod -based CIS election observation mission, the findings of which are often dismissed by the West, the elections in Belarus conformed to international standards. Lukashenko later commented that

6700-418: The opposition in Belarus was financed by foreign countries and was not needed. In April 2009, he held talks with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican, Lukashenko's first visit to Western Europe after a travel ban on him a decade earlier. In August 2009, during a working trip to the Vitebsk Region , Lukashenko announced a program for the revival of Belarusian potato production, saying: "We will finish working on

6800-408: The people of the Republic of Belarus, to respect and safeguard the rights and liberties of man and citizen, to abide by and protect the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, and to discharge strictly and conscientiously the lofty duties that have been bestowed upon me. During the inauguration ceremony, members of both houses of the National Assembly , government ministers, officials and judges from

6900-487: The presence of the president is the flag of the president of Belarus (Штандар Прэзідэнта Рэспублікі Беларусь). The standard, which has been in use since March 27, 1997, was adopted by a decree called "Concerning the Standard of the President of Republic of Belarus." signed into law by President Lukashenko. The standard's design is an exact copy of the national flag , with the addition of the Belarusian national emblem in gold. The standard's ratio of 5:6 differs from that of

7000-595: The presidency was created, the role of the prime minister was reduced to assisting the president and resulted in the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet, along with its chairman, in 1996. In the first set of elections for the office of president, the prime minister of Belarus, Vyacheslav Kebich , was defeated in a runoff vote by Alexander Lukashenko, resulting in Lukashenko becoming the first president. In elections of 2001 and 2006, which were contested by international observers, Western powers and internal opposition parties due for failing to meet democratic and fair standards,

7100-413: The president is barred from formal membership in a political party. In order to be able to run for office, a candidate must be a Belarusian citizen by birth that is over thirty-five years old. The candidate must also reside within the republic for ten years and able to cast a ballot legally. The provisions are set down in Article 80 of the Constitution. Elections for president occur every five years by

7200-556: The president of Belarus. Just over three weeks later, he was inaugurated in the Independence Palace in the presence of attendees such as former president of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma , Chairman of the Russian Communist Party Gennady Zyuganov and Belarusian biathlete Darya Domracheva . On mid-September 2017, Lukashenko oversaw the advancement of joint Russian and Belarusian military relations during

7300-416: The president the right to dissolve parliament. The deputies rejected all the issues, except for that which regarded economic integration with Russia. It is unclear whether the president had legal power independently to call referendums, and if so, if they would be binding. Lukashenko stated that the referendum would be held despite the rejection by the deputies. In protest, 19 out of a total of 238 deputies of

7400-531: The president will be protected by national law. Information, either printed in the news or reported on television , that is considered defamation against the president is illegal under Article 5 of the Belarusian Law on Press. The Presidential Palace ( Belarusian : Рэзідэнцыя Прэзідэнта , Russian : Резиденция президента ) is a Stalinist Empire style building located on October Square in Minsk surrounded by

7500-573: The presidential elections in 2006. Opposition groups, the OSCE , the European Union , and the US State Department stated that the vote fell short of international standards. Belarus grew economically under Lukashenko, but much of this growth was due to Russian crude oil which was imported at below-market prices, refined, and sold to other European countries at a profit. After Lukashenko confirmed he

7600-581: The ranks of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Communist Party of Byelorussia . After leaving the military, he became the deputy chairman of a collective farm in 1982 and in 1985, he was promoted to the post of director of the Gorodets state farm and construction materials plant in the Shklow district. In 1987, he was appointed as the director of the Gorodets state farm in Shklow district and in early 1988,

7700-415: The referendum, Lukashenko convened a new parliamentary assembly from those members of the parliament who were loyal to him. After between ten and twelve deputies withdrew their signature from the impeachment petition, only about forty deputies of the old parliament were left and the Supreme Council was dismissed by Lukashenko. Nevertheless, international organizations and many Western countries do not recognize

7800-464: The results and issued a statement saying "The 9 August elections were neither free nor fair, therefore we do not recognise the results". The governments of the United States , United Kingdom and Canada have also refused to recognise the results. In an interview on 22 August, Josep Borrell explicitly stated that the European Union does not recognise Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus in

7900-401: The run-up to the election, including the candidates' use of television debates and ability to deliver their messages unhindered. Several European foreign ministers issued a joint statement calling the election and its aftermath an "unfortunate step backwards in the development of democratic governance and respect for human rights in Belarus." Lukashenko's inauguration ceremony of 22 January 2011

8000-418: The same manner that it does not recognise Nicolás Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela. On 23 August 2020, footage emerged showing Lukashenko at the Independence Palace in Minsk. In the first two videos, he is seen walking near a helicopter, wearing a bullet proof vest and holding an assault rifle (possibly an AK-47 ) and then walking around the palace grounds. In the latter footage, Lukashenko

8100-546: The streets of Marx , Engels , Kirov and Komsomol . Like the American White House , the streets close to the official residence are closed off to vehicular traffic and are patrolled by police forces. Having been used since 1994, it formerly housed the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Byelorussia . The president also has use of the Independence Palace in Minsk. Officially, the only symbol denoting

8200-418: The threat of violence. Regardless if the declaration affects the entire country or sections of it, the Council of the Republic must be notified by the president and must seek their approval within three days of notification. The same rules applies if the president issues a state of martial law in the event of a possible military action against Belarus. The president has to form and head the Security Council of

8300-407: The vote and formed a Coordination council to facilitate the peaceful and orderly transfer of power in Belarus. On 15 August 2020, Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevičius referred to Lukashenko as the "former president" of Belarus. It was reported that President Lukashenko's authorities asked Kremlin representatives about the possibility of Lukashenko escaping to Russia . Furthermore, it

8400-433: The way for the first democratic presidential election on 23 June and 10 July. Six candidates stood in the first round, including Lukashenko, who campaigned as an independent on a populist platform. In an interview with The New York Times , he declared: "I am neither with the leftists nor the rightists. But with the people against those who rob and deceive them." Stanislav Shushkevich and Vyacheslav Kebich also ran, with

8500-655: Was an instructor of the political department of military unit No. 2187 of the Western Frontier District in Brest and in the Soviet Army from 1980 to 1982. In addition, he led an All-Union Leninist Young Communist League ( Komsomol ) chapter in Mogilev from 1977 to 1978. While in the Soviet Army, Lukashenko was a deputy political officer of the 120th Guards Motor Rifle Division , which was based in Minsk. In 1979, he joined

8600-461: Was approved "to ensure the maximum participation of citizens in the electoral campaign and to set most convenient time for the voters". The run-up to the campaign was marked by a series of Russian media attacks on Lukashenko. The Central Election Committee said that all nine opposition figures were likely to get less than half the vote total that Lukashenko would get. Though opposition figures alleged intimidation and that "dirty tricks" were being played,

8700-504: Was at Nikolai's insistence, but it has been speculated that Nikolai was being groomed to be president after Alexander. He attracted further media attention in 2013, when Alexander stated that his son would become a President of Belarus , causing numerous speculations in the press. In 2015, Lukashenko, at the age of 10, took part in a session of the United Nations General Assembly . In June 2020, he and his father attended

8800-545: Was born on 30 August 1954 in the settlement of Kopys in Vitebsk Region of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic . Starting with an interview given in 2009, Lukashenko has said that his actual birthday is 31 August, the same as his son's Nikolai's . This caused some confusion as all official sources had said 30 August 1954 up until then. An explanation was later given that his mother had entered

8900-494: Was boycotted by EU ambassadors, and only thirty-two foreign diplomats attended. During this ceremony, Lukashenko defended the legitimacy of his re-election and vowed that Belarus would never have its own version of the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine or Georgia 's 2003 Rose Revolution . Effective 31 January 2011, the EU renewed a travel ban, prohibiting Lukashenko and 156 of his associates from traveling to EU member countries, as

9000-469: Was formally inaugurated president for a sixth term in a ceremony at the Palace of Independence attended by an invited group of 700 guests. President of Belarus The term for the president is five years, but due to a 1996 referendum , the election that was supposed to occur in 1999 was pushed back to 2001. Under the 1994 constitution, the president could only serve for two terms as president, but due to

9100-409: Was heard to say "Leave me alone," and "There is no one left there, right?". His 15-year-old son, Nikolai, was seen with him dressed in military uniform and holding a gun. In a third video, he is seen surveying protestors from a helicopter and is heard saying "How the rats ran away" in an apparent reference to the protesters. In a fourth video, Lukashenko was seen removing the former flag of Belarus from

9200-551: Was one of the first in Mogilev Region to introduce a leasing contract to a state farm. In 1990, Lukashenko was elected Deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR . Having acquired a reputation as an eloquent opponent of corruption, Lukashenko was elected in April 1993 to be interim chairman of the anti-corruption committee of the Belarusian parliament. In late 1993 he accused 70 senior government officials, including

9300-421: Was pretty biased in its commentaries on their progress and results, thus playing an instigating role." Lukashenko later stated that he had rigged the election results, but against himself, in order to obtain a majority more typical of European countries. Although he had won 93.5% of the vote, he said, he had directed the government to announce a result of 86%. Some Russian nationalists, such as Dmitry Rogozin and

9400-448: Was put under house arrest. Yaraslau Ramanchuk 's party leader, Anatoly Lebedko, was also arrested. The CEC said that Lukashenko won 79.65% of the vote (he gained 5,130,557 votes) with 90.65% of the electorate voting. The OSCE categorized the elections as "flawed" while the CIS mission observers approved the results as legitimate. However, the OSCE also stated that some improvements were made in

9500-537: Was re-elected for a sixth term with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the opposition candidate and the runner-up (Tsikhanouskaya would go on to create the Coordination Council , recognised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus as an extremist organisation). Nikolai Lukashenko Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lukashenko (also transliterated as Mikalay Alyaksandravich Lukashenka ; born 31 August 2004)

9600-483: Was re-elected for his sixth term as the President of Belarus. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that the election was "not free [or] fair". Mass protests erupted across Belarus following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election which was marred by allegations of widespread electoral fraud . Subsequently, opposition presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya claimed she had received between 60 and 70% of

9700-504: Was reported by major news media as being around or above 10,000 people. At least seven of the opposition presidential candidates were arrested. Several of the opposition candidates, along with their supporters and members of the media, were arrested. Many were sent to prison, often on charges of organizing a mass disturbance. Examples include Andrei Sannikov , Alexander Otroschenkov , Ales Michalevic , Mikola Statkevich , and Uladzimir Nyaklyayew . Sannikov's wife, journalist Irina Khalip ,

9800-490: Was reported that Russia admits that Lukashenko's resignation from the post of head of state is likely. On 17 August 2020, the members of the European Parliament issued a joint statement which stated that they do not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as the president of Belarus, considering him to be persona non grata in the European Union . On 19 August, the member states of the European Union agreed to not recognise

9900-516: Was running for re-election in 2005, opposition groups began to seek a single candidate. On 16 October 2005, on the Day of Solidarity with Belarus , the political groups Zubr and Third Way Belarus encouraged all opposition parties to rally behind one candidate to oppose Lukashenko in the 2006 election. Their chosen candidate was Alexander Milinkevich . Lukashenko reacted by saying that anyone going to opposition protests would have their necks wrung "as one might

10000-616: Was that she would like him to "get a good education, choose an interesting profession, love his job, enjoy it and bring benefit and joy to others." In 2011, Nikolai Lukashenko entered Ostroshitsko-Gorodok Secondary School. In 2020, he entered Belarusian State University Lyceum. Later in August 2020, Nikolai Lukashenko was reported to have withdrawn from the Lyceum. According to the Belarusian Investigative Center , he graduated from

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