Protests erupt in Belarus after "Europe's last dictator" claims election victory

[brooklynite]

Source: Axios

Demonstrations broke out across Belarus on Sunday after a government exit poll predicted that President Aleksander Lukashenko, an authoritarian who has ruled the Eastern European country since 1994, had swept to overwhelming victory over a pro-democracy opposition candidate.

Why it matters: It's a precarious moment for the former Soviet republic, where decades of repression and a complete disregard for the coronavirus pandemic now threaten to topple "Europe's last dictator."

The state of play: Opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a teacher who replaced her husband on the ticket when he was arrested for launching his campaign, is claiming victory based on results from 20 polling stations, where a spokesman told the Globe and Mail her vote share was "two, three, four times" that of Lukashenko.

The government exit poll that triggered Sunday's protests, which had been ongoing at a smaller scale for weeks, showed Lukashenko with 79.7% of the vote and Tikhanovskaya with 6.8%.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/belarus-protests-election-933b5fa4-c2fa-4132-b10d-568e542393a6.html

[not_the_one]

1. Government poll? Predicted?

I would want something a little more reliable...

Will we also be expected to accept the turd announcing his victory when we know that 60 to 70% voted for Biden?

Will demonstrations break out all across the US, or will we fall into line like obedient sheep...?

[fleur-de-lisa]

2. That will be us in November if Dump steals another election.

Pandemic or not, I will be in the streets if that fucker ‘wins’ again.

[Miguelito Loveless]

4. It will claim victory

As soon as the polls close.

[Dopers_Greed]

3. A preview for what we have in store

If we fail to evict the Repugs from power

[idziak4ever1234]

5. My guess is that Svetlana will disappear or find herself locked up.