Lukashenko leading in presidential election - Central Election Commission

Incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko is leading in the Belarus presidential election, according to data coming from the regions, preliminary results are expected by 2am on Monday, Central Election Commission Chairperson Lidiya Yermoshina said.

According to her, four districts of the Brest region have reported that Lukashenko secured 79.69% of the vote (his main rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya got 3.8%), winning 90% in four districts of the Gomel region (Tikhanovskaya got 3.2%). In eight districts of the Grodno region, 92.7% of the voters cast their ballots for Lukashenko (3.89% for Tikhanovskaya). In the Mogilev region, four districts, 93.8% supported Lukashenko. ‘None of the above’ came second there with 3.3%.

"I expect that by 02:00 we will have preliminary results from across the country," Yermoshina said.

The presidential election was held in Belarus on August 9. Exit polls give incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko over 70% of the vote. His main rival, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is winning between 6.8% and 10.1%. The voter turnout was 84.05% as of 20:00 on Sunday.

Protests erupted after the polling stations closed in most cities, including in the capital Minsk, escalating into clashes with the police. Some people were injured. According to Belarusian media, protests are also taking place in Mogilev, Vitebsk, Brest and Grodno.