Alexander Lukashenko is a Belarusian politician who has been the first and only president of Belarus since the establishment of the office on 20 July 1994. Lukashenko heads an authoritarian government and has referred to himself as the "last dictator" in Europe. Elections are not considered to be free and fair by international monitors, opponents of the regime are repressed, and the media is not free, leading to sanctions on Lukashenko and other Belarusian officials being imposed. His disputed victory in the country's 2020 presidential election led to widespread allegations of vote rigging, which strongly amplified anti-government protests, which were severely oppressed by the police and leaded to the death of several people and injuries of hundreds. Following the contested election, Lukashenko is not recognized by the United Kingdom, the European Union, or the United States as the legitimate president of Belarus.
