Longtime President Lukashenko wins Belarus election

By Elena Teslova
MOSCOW (AA) – Incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko has won the 2020 election in Belarus with 80,23% of votes, the country's election commission announced on Monday.
The voter turnout was 84,23%, the results of the election are considered "valid", Lidia Ermoshina, head of the Central Election Commission, told reporters in the capital Minsk.
However, the opposition candidates protested the results, supported by thousands of people who took to the streets throughout the country, demanding a fair election.
The protesters raise their voices against Lukashenko's rule, his prolonged stay in power -- he has been serving as the country's president since 1994, lifting two-term limit on president's tenure in 2004 -- weak economy and poor handling of the coronavirus situation.
Dozens were arrested Sunday night, police used rubber bullets and sound grenades to disperse demonstrators.