Belarus Holds Tightly Controlled Elections Amid Opposition Boycott Calls

The elections, expected to solidify Lukashenko's rule, were marked by a high voter turnout and international condemnation of the electoral process.

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for a boycott of the parliamentary and local elections, labeling them a 'senseless farce'.
The U.S. State Department condemned the elections as a 'sham', highlighting the climate of fear and lack of democratic processes.
Early voting, seen as a mechanism for vote manipulation, recorded a turnout of nearly 48% before election day.
Security measures were intensified, with police drills and restrictions on election monitoring, including the removal of voting booth curtains.
Belarus plans to form a new 1,200-seat All-Belarus Popular Assembly with broad powers, amid ongoing crackdowns on dissent.