Presidential election 2025 in Belarus

Over 700,000 signatures collected for Lukashenko’s nomination as presidential candidate

MINSK, 14 November (BelTA) – Over 700,000 signatures have already been collected for incumbent Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko who is running for re-election. The head of state shared the updates with journalists during his inspection of the renovated Traktor Stadium in Minsk on 14 November, BelTA has learned.

“I was told yesterday that more than 700,000 signatures have been collected to date. Around that,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

According to the president, he did not have time to closely follow the election campaign, since there were many other things to do at the end of the year, including numerous trips around the country and abroad. In addition, the head of state had to oversee the completion of the harvesting campaign.

“People need to have food on the table. Today we have everything we need and even more than we expected. Farmers are celebrating their holiday. I appreciate them very much. It was worth visiting Dazhynki, as I could thank people and look from above at how they fulfill my instructions, especially how they farm the land. This is the most important thing for us to do,” he added.

Speaking about the election campaign, Aleksandr Lukashenko said that he had already proposed to stop collecting signatures for his nomination. However, Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi noted that people should be given the opportunity to show support for their leader.

“We are not dramatizing the situation. I planned to talk with the leadership of the initiative group, thank them and map out plans for the future. I want to see the ‘alternative’ candidates also collecting signatures. But, as I am told, people are not very willing to sign for another candidate. This is encouraging and worrying at the same time: for me, the most important thing is people's trust. And after 2020 people looked around and realized that they could lose the country and decided to value what they have. Thus, they do not rush to put their signatures in support of other candidates,” he noted.

The collection of signatures to nominate candidates for the upcoming presidential election started on 7 November and will end on 6 December 2024. Only members of initiative groups can collect signatures at pickets (in places not prohibited by local executive and administrative bodies), as well as at the place of residence and work (service) of voters.

The Central Election Commission registered seven initiative groups. However, on 12 November two candidates announced their decision to withdraw from the campaign. Those were Chairperson of the Minsk branch of the Belarusian Women’s Union, Head of the Directorate for Ideology and Youth Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee Olga Chemodanova and Chairman of the Council of the Belarusian Union of Officers Sergei Bobrikov.

The other five people continue signature collection in support of their nomination.

The presidential election in Belarus is scheduled for 26 January 2025.

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