Belarusian politician who has served as the first and only president of Belarus since the establishment of the office on 20 July 1994. Prior to his political career, Lukashenko worked as director of a state farm (sovkhoz), and served in the Soviet Border Troops and in the Soviet Army.
Lukashenko continued state ownership of key industries in Belarus after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and retained important Soviet-era symbolism, which can be seen in the coat of arms and national flag of Belarus, adopted following a controversial 1995 referendum, which were based on the symbols of the Byelorussian SSR. Following the same referendum, Lukashenko was given more power by becoming allowed to dismiss the Supreme Soviet of Belarus, the Russian language was given the same status as Belarusian, and economic ties with Russia were strengthened, which furthermore led to the creation of the Union State with Russia, which allows Belarusians to freely travel to, work, and study in Russia, and vice versa. However, relations with Russia have not always run smoothly under his tenure, such as during the Milk Wars.
Lukashenko heads an authoritarian government, and has often been referred to by media outlets as “Europe’s last dictator.” Elections are not considered to be free and fair by international monitors, opponents of the regime are repressed, and the media is not free,leading to sanctions on Lukashenko and other Belarusian officials being imposed.
His government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus led to widespread public discontent towards his administration. The disputed 2020 Belarusian presidential election led to widespread allegations of vote rigging, which strongly amplified anti-government protests, where Lukashenko is facing unprecedented opposition to his rule. Protesters have faced violent persecution by the authorities. A statement by the United Nations Human Rights Office on 1 September cited more than 450 documented cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, as well as reports of sexual abuse and rape. Following the contested election, Lukashenko is not recognized by the European Union and the United States as the legitimate president of Belarus.
Link to Wikipedia biography