[Al Ahram] Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was set for an overwhelming victory in a presidential election on Sunday, an official exit poll said, after a political newcomer mounted a historic challenge to the strongman leader.The exit poll for state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
gave Lukashenko 79.7 percent of the vote, with main challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya coming second with 6.8 percent.
The opposition had said it expected the results to be rigged and some were already calling for protests on Sunday night.
The atmosphere in the capital Minsk was tense, with police and special forces on the streets and a Soviet-era protest song blasting from car radios and flats.
Huge queues had formed outside polling stations in the capital Minsk and other cities before voting ended at 8:00 pm local time (1700 GMT), after Tikhanovskaya urged her supporters to vote late to give authorities less chance to falsify the election.
#BREAKING
— Alghadeer English (@alghadeertv_eng) August 9, 2020
Police, protesters clash in #Belarus capital after vote: reports pic.twitter.com/hgyQNPOvd3
#BREAKING
— Alghadeer English (@alghadeertv_eng) August 9, 2020
Four loud blasts have been heard, people are retreating from the monument in the square and OMON forces are advancing in #Belarus. pic.twitter.com/78VakPqRJw