As Belarus votes amid repression, what drives Alexander Lukashenko, the president likely to secure a seventh term.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko extended his rule in a controversial election rejected by the opposition and the EU as illegitimate. The election came amidst a harsh crackdown on dissent and amid ongoing international scrutiny.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is projected to take victory in the virtually uncontested election by a greater margin than he did in 2020.

STORY: Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko extended his 31-year rule with a massive election win.The country held a presidential election on Sunday.According to results published on the Central Election Commission's Telegram account,

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speaks to the media after ... relying on subsidies and political support from close ally Russia. He let Moscow use his territory to invade Ukraine in ...

The Russian and Chinese leaders yesterday congratulated Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko for winning a seventh term in office, with Russia's Vladimir Putin saying Sunday's election showed he had the "undoubted" backing of the people.

As an East African bloc urged an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma extended their advance on Wednesday, and Congo said it planned a campaign to recover lost territory.

Alexander Lukashenko is expected to extend his 31-year rule with 87.6% of the vote, according to an exit poll broadcast on state TV. Four opposition candidates appeared on ballots, but all are loyal to Mr Lukashenko and have praised his rule.

Belarus held an orchestrated election over the weekend that the opposition and the EU rejected as a farce, extending President Lukashenko's more than 30 years in power.

Belarus on Sunday held an orchestrated election virtually guaranteed to give its 70-year-old autocrat, Alexander Lukashenko, yet another presidential term on top of his three decades in power.

Belarusian leader and Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko extended his 31-year rule on Monday after electoral officials declared him the winner of a presidential election Western governments rejected as a sham.