On January 26, the seventy-year-old president of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, is running for office for the seventh time. Dubbed “Europe’s last dictator,” Lukashenko refused to step down following the presidential election in 2020; he crushed peaceful protests; he jailed his opponents; he shut down independent media and civil society organizations; and he forced thousands of Belarusians into exile.

Belarusian opposition forces have already termed the 2025 presidential election Lukashenko’s “self-reappointment,” and opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called on the international community to “reject this farce.”  Unfortunately, the scale of political repression in the country makes it dangerous for Belarusian voters to express their dissatisfaction with the electoral proсess.

In the aftermath of Belarus’ January 2025 presidential election, our panelists discussed the election’s significance for Belarus’ political system and society, the strengths and vulnerabilities of the Lukashenko regime, and the future of Belarus more generally.