Belarus election 2025: Lukashenko allies dominate candidacy
The Central Election Commission has already registered four potential candidates for the presidency of Belarus: Alexander Lukashenko, Oleg Gaidukevich, Alexander Khiznyak, and Olga Chemodanova. Four more applications are under consideration. All support the dictator's policies, reports the independent portal Zierkało ("mirror").
The three already registered candidates consistently express their complete support for Lukashenko and his key policies, which raises questions about why they have even entered the race.
The first is Oleg Gaidukevich, the head of the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus. He has frequently praised his future competitor's actions in foreign policy. Gaidukevich has spoken, among other things, about peace initiatives following the Russian invasion of Ukraine: "Alexander Lukashenko tells the West, 'we will not succumb to your provocations.' [...] Alexander Lukashenko fights for peace in Europe," he remarked.
"Alexander Lukashenko, who burst into the bland Belarusian politics like a meteor, impressed me from the start. He immediately started saying things others were afraid of," these are Gaidukevich's words from the '90s.
In May 2024, Gaidukevich noted that "Lukashenko lives with Belarusians in what they live." "Every Belarusian family wants peace, wages, housing, effective healthcare, education, for children to have access to sports and health centres, and for a House of Culture to be built so they can rest and live normally. I want the country to prosper," he explained.
Another candidate, Alexander Khiznyak, just a week ago announced that his party would support Alexander Lukashenko in the elections.
In November 2023, Khiznyak endorsed the purge of opposition parties and organizations initiated by Lukashenko. In February 2024, he called Lukashenko a "strong leader" and stated that the people of Belarus supporting the politician "made the right choice."
Olga Chemodanova also virtually idolizes Lukashenko in her public speeches. She justified the murderers of Roman Bondarenko, calling them "caring citizens trying to restore order."
In May 2024, in an interview, Chemodanova credited Lukashenko with the economic development of Belarus and the fact that children go to school "in a peaceful and safe country."
Considering more applications
In addition to the three "competitors" described above, three more are seeking registration. However, judging by their statements, they do not oppose Lukashenko.
The first is retired Major General Sergey Bobrikov, the former head of the Belarusian Military Academy. He Is now serving his second term as the head of the pro-government Belarusian Officers' Union, which supports the current government under his leadership.
Another applicant is Anna Kanopatskaya. Although after the 2016 elections she became one of two opposition deputies in the House of Representatives, before the 2020 elections, she criticized Lukashenko, calling him a dictator and blaming his regime for putting Belarus in a dire demographic situation, maintaining outdated industries, and inefficient agriculture. She spoke about the colossal foreign debt, massive administrative costs, and repressive apparatuses. In 2020, she called herself the only opposition pro-European politician and a rival to the "current president."
Despite these actions, after the elections, she echoed state propaganda narratives. Moreover, even as a deputy, she developed and submitted a bill to parliament offering guarantees for Lukashenko and his family upon his departure from office.
Following the elections and the suppression of protests against fraud and violence by security forces in February 2021, Kanopatskaya called Lukashenko's supporters there "victors" and stated that "there were more of them" and "they proved to be stronger, more united, and more organized."
Another candidate aspiring to register her candidacy is businesswoman Diana Kovaleva. The 2025 elections will mark the start of her political career. It is highly probable that her views will not significantly differ from those of the other candidates.
The last person to submit his documents to the CEC was the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the pro-government Communist Party of Belarus, Sergey Syrankov. He recently stated that the country under Lukashenko's leadership "has achieved recognition, respect, and authority on the international stage."
