DISINFO: Elections in Belarus were an example of self-determination and sovereignty
SUMMARY
The Belarusian Central Electoral Commission announced the victory of Alexander Lukashenka in the presidential election with over 86 percent of the vote. However, they also denounce external attempts of electoral interference. The denunciation of the European Parliament shows that it has its own agenda. With this electoral process, Belarus reaffirms its process of self-determination, non-interference and national sovereignty.
RESPONSE
Contrary to what this disinformation story states, the January 2025 'election' in Belarus cannot be considered a true electoral contest. While Alexander Lukashenka claimed to have received 87.6 percent of the votes, the process took place in a climate of strong repression against opposition activists and independent media, and with no real contenders against Lukashenka allowed in the ballot box. The process was not monitored by independent observers either. These conditions were already denounced by the European Parliament in a resolution on 22 January 2025, days before election day. See also our article Lukashenka’s so-called ‘presidential election’ in Belarus.
The 'election' was rejected by the US, as well as by the European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK, all of which released a joint statement denouncing it as a sham. The EU HR/VP Kaja Kallas stated: “Today’s sham election in Belarus has been neither free, nor fair. The people of Belarus deserve a real say in who governs their country. The relentless and unprecedented repression of human rights, restrictions to political participation and access to independent media in Belarus, have deprived the electoral process of any legitimacy. We urge the regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, over a thousand of whom are arbitrarily detained, including an employee of the Delegation of the European Union”. Other Western leaders and Belarusian opposition figures have also criticised the election.
By trying to present this 'election' as a proof of “sovereignty” and dismissing criticism as “external interference”, this disinformation story aims to portray Lukashenka as the legitimate leader of Belarus. Lukashenka’s lawfulness as president has been seriously questioned after credible evidences of fraud emerged during the 2020 election and Belarusian authorities acted against opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, forcing her to exile after preliminary electoral data showed her as the winner of the election. See also our dedicated section on Belarus.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that external forces tried to exploit the election in Belarus to ignite a colour revolution, that Western polls confirm Lukashenka's victory in 2020 presidential election in Belarus, that there is no evidence of vote-rigging in 2020 Belarus election, or that OSCE refused to observe the 2020 elections in Belarus.