Belarus commenced tightly controlled parliamentary and local elections on February 25, signaling President Alexander Lukashenko’s ongoing grip on power. The opposition, led by exiled leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, urged a boycott, dismissing the balloting as a “senseless farce.” Lukashenko accused the West of seeking to destabilize Belarus through the vote. The elections, first since the contentious 2020 vote, are marred by a crackdown on dissent, with over 1,400 political prisoners and claims of manipulation in early voting. Lukashenko’s rule, spanning nearly 30 years, faces international scrutiny amid allegations of human rights abuses and suppression of opposition voices.