Europe’s longest-serving leader won re-election in a contest widely believe to have been rigged. The result cements the power of a leader whose country is considered Russia’s staunchest ally.

Belarus votes in orchestrated election all but certain to extend the rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko

Belarusians are voting in a closely-managed presidential election that is all but certain to extend the one-man rule of Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and Europe’s longest-serving leader.

Belarus is holding a presidential election in which the outcome is all but certain: a seventh term for authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Around 6.9 million people are eligible to vote in the former Soviet republic closely aligned with Moscow,