Longtime Belarus leader Lukashenko signals he may not seek another term

Putin state Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an robust fist for much than than 3 decades and is present connected seventh term.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has signalled helium does not mean to question different word successful office, portion rejecting speculation that helium is lining up his lad arsenic successor.

The self-professed “last and lone dictator successful Europe” hinted astatine his intentions successful an interrogation with TIME magazine, saying that whoever replaces him should “not interruption thing close away”, but support processing the state successful bid to debar immoderate “revolutionary breakdown”.

The 70-year-old, a adjacent state of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has led Belarus done much than 3 decades of authoritarian regularisation and was re-elected successful January for a seventh five-year term.

Asked by TIME’s interviewer whether helium would basal successful the adjacent election, helium said helium was “not planning” anything, though helium did teasingly adhd that his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, was “looking decent” astatine astir 80.

Lukashenko besides rejected longstanding speculation that helium mightiness beryllium grooming his lad Nikolai to win him.

“No, helium is not a successor. I knew you would inquire that. No, no, no. Ask him yourself, helium whitethorn beryllium truly offended,” helium said successful excerpts from the conversation, published successful Russian by Belarusian authorities quality bureau BelTA.

Lukashenko told TIME that helium was really acceptable to measurement down successful the past election, but changed his caput aft the nationalist demanded helium stay successful his station due to the fact that they were not acceptable for him to go.

But critics, including German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, said astatine the clip that the ballot was neither escaped nor fair, mostly due to the fact that each starring absorption figures had either been jailed oregon forced to question exile abroad.

Lukashenko was besides accused of rigging the 2020 election, which ended with nationwide protests and a sweeping information crackdown.

Several 100 radical convicted of “extremism” and different politically related offences person been released since mid-2024, but rights groups accidental astir 1,200 are inactive down bars.

Lukashenko denies determination are immoderate governmental prisoners successful the country.

In 2012, Lukashenko told the quality bureau Reuters, “I americium the past and lone dictator successful Europe. Indeed, determination are nary anyplace other successful the world.”