3 months ago

Lukashenko secures victory in Belarus presidential election — exit polls

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko wins seventh five-year term in office with 87.6% of the vote, while Sergei Sirankov, leader of the Belarusian Communist Party, receives 2.7%.

AP

If he completes his term, which would finish in 2030, Lukashenko will have been in power for 36 years. / Photo: AP

Incumbent President Aleksandr Lukashenko has claimed victory in Belarus's presidential election, earning 87.6 percent of the vote, according to exit polls.

Belarusian state television reported the results shortly after polling stations closed at 8:00 p.m. local time.

Lukashenko won the presidential race with a commanding 87.6 percent, while Sergei Sirankov, leader of the Belarusian Communist Party, received 2.7 percent.

Oleg Gaidukevich, head of the Liberal Democratic Party, garnered 1.8 percent, followed by independent candidate Anna Kanapatskaya with 1.6 percent.

Alexander Khizhnyak, leader of the Republican Party of Justice and Labor, rounded out the results with 1.2 percent.

An additional 5.1 percent of voters opted for the "against all candidates" choice.

The survey, conducted with 11,948 respondents, provided the basis for the exit poll results.

The Central Election Commission also reported a voter turnout of 81.5 percent as of 6:00 p.m. local time.