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Opposition Wins No Seats in Belarus Election; Lukashenko Vows to Stay Put

Reuters

   MINSK - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko maintained his hold on
   power after results published Monday showed not a single opposition
   candidate had won a seat in a weekend parliamentary election.

   Lukashenko has governed the former Soviet republic with an iron fist
   for a quarter of a century and he announced on Sunday he would stand
   again in the 2020 presidential election.

   The 65-year-old has given more leeway to the opposition and released
   political prisoners in recent years in a bid to improve ties with the
   West after disputes with traditional ally Moscow.

   But official data on Monday showed, on a 77% turnout, no opposition
   figure won a seat. At the last election in 2016, two opposition members
   won seats for the first time in 20 years but neither was allowed to
   stand again this time around.

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