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Lukashenko will take the post of the Belarusian president for the fifth time

A total of 83.49% voted for incumbent president, Central Election Commission chief said

Alexander Lukashenko Viktor Drachev/TASS

Alexander Lukashenko

© Viktor Drachev/TASS

MINSK, October 12. /TASS/. Incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko is winning the Belarusian presidential elections with 83.49% of the vote, Central Election Commission chief Lidiya Yermoshina said.

A total of 3.32% voted for leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Sergey Gaidukevich, 4.42% for representative of the "Tell the Truth" civil campaign Tatyana Korotkevich, 1.67% for chairman of the Belarusian Patriotic Party Nikolay Ulakhovich; a total of 6.4% of Belarusian voters voted against all.

In the capital Minsk, 20.6% cast their ballots against all.

The voter turnout was 87.2%.

Thus, following the elections, 61-year-old Lukashenko will take the post of the Belarusian president for the fifth time.

In 1994, Lukashenko was elected head of state gaining 80.3% of the vote. In 1996, his powers were extended by a referendum until 2001. In 2001, he was re-elected with 75.6% of the vote.

A 2004 referendum removed the provision of the constitution banning a person from holding the post of the Belarusian president for more than two terms in a row. Lukashenko was re-elected again in 2006 (83%) and 2010 (79.6%).

The official results of the elections, according to the law, are to be published "not later than 10 days after the end of the vote." The report on the results of the elections of the Belarusian president is handed by the Central Election Commission to mass media for publication "not later than three days since the protocol on election results is signed."

After the official results of the elections are approved, the Belarusian government resigns and the head of state accepts the resignation, and then appoints a new government.

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