Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
'I'm not a saint': Lukashenko offers to hand over power after referendum
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS AUGUST 17, 2020 / 2:15 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO
'I'm not a saint': Lukashenko offers to hand over power after referendum
Andrei Makhovsky
5 MIN READ
MINSK (Reuters) - Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, said on Monday he would be willing to hand over power after a referendum, in an apparent bid to pacify mass protests and strikes that pose the biggest challenge to his 26 years in office.
He made the offer, which he insisted would not be delivered on while he was under pressure from protesters, after exiled opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she was willing to lead the country.
In a sign of Lukashenko’s growing vulnerability, he faced heckling and chants of “step down” during a speech to workers at one of the large state-run industrial plants that are the pride of his Soviet-style economic model and core support base.
Russia has told Lukashenko it is ready to provide military help to Belarus in the event of an external threat. Lukashenko faces the threat of European Union sanctions after a bloody crackdown on protests following what demonstrators say was his rigged re-election victory last week. He denies losing, citing official results that gave him just over 80% of the vote.
Lukashenko told workers there would be no new presidential election, something the opposition wants, until he was killed.
-snip-
'I'm not a saint': Lukashenko offers to hand over power after referendum
Andrei Makhovsky
5 MIN READ
MINSK (Reuters) - Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, said on Monday he would be willing to hand over power after a referendum, in an apparent bid to pacify mass protests and strikes that pose the biggest challenge to his 26 years in office.
He made the offer, which he insisted would not be delivered on while he was under pressure from protesters, after exiled opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she was willing to lead the country.
In a sign of Lukashenko’s growing vulnerability, he faced heckling and chants of “step down” during a speech to workers at one of the large state-run industrial plants that are the pride of his Soviet-style economic model and core support base.
Russia has told Lukashenko it is ready to provide military help to Belarus in the event of an external threat. Lukashenko faces the threat of European Union sanctions after a bloody crackdown on protests following what demonstrators say was his rigged re-election victory last week. He denies losing, citing official results that gave him just over 80% of the vote.
Lukashenko told workers there would be no new presidential election, something the opposition wants, until he was killed.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-belarus-election/im-not-a-saint-lukashenko-offers-to-hand-over-power-after-referendum-idUSKCN25D0IJ