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No surprise: Lukashenko wins Belarus presidential race

Cast votes: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with his youngest son Nikolai casts his ballot at a polling station, during the presidential election, in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday

The Jakarta Post
Minsk, Belarus
Mon, October 12, 2015

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No surprise: Lukashenko wins Belarus presidential race Cast votes: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with his youngest son Nikolai casts his ballot at a polling station, during the presidential election, in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday. A presidential election was under way Sunday in Belarus, where authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko faced no serious competition and was expected easily to win a fifth term. The opposition called for a boycott of the vote. (AP/Sergei Grits) (AP/Sergei Grits)

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span class="inline inline-center">Cast votes: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with his youngest son Nikolai casts his ballot at a polling station, during the presidential election, in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday. A presidential election was under way Sunday in Belarus, where authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko faced no serious competition and was expected easily to win a fifth term. The opposition called for a boycott of the vote. (AP/Sergei Grits)

President Alexander Lukashenko has been re-elected for a fifth term, officials in Belarus said on Monday, following a campaign boycotted by the opposition.

Lidia Yermoshina, chairwoman of the Belarusian Central Election Commission, said that Lukashenko garnered 83.5 percent in Sunday's vote. His closest contender trailed behind with less than 5 percent.

Lukashenko's vote share was an increase from 79.7 percent vote share in 2010.

About 100 opposition supporters held a peaceful protest march after polls closed to show their discontent.

Yermoshina said all the ballots have been counted inside the country while the ballots cast at embassies abroad have yet to be counted.

The authoritarian leader of 21 years faced no serious competition in the election, which was boycotted by the opposition.

Opposition activists cast doubt on the high turnout, over 87 percent, as reported by authorities.

"The election commissions made up the results as they wished," opposition leader Anatoly Lebedko claimed. "I'm amazed by the scale: they made up a staggering turnout with half-empty polling stations."

Yermoshina of the election commission explained the high turnout by the fact that a lot of people opted out for early voting. (**)

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