Belarus sheds neutral status in vote critics call rigged

Belarusian authorities say more than half of the country’s voters approved constitutional reforms that would allow its authoritarian leader to stay in power until 2035 and open the way for stronger military cooperation with Russia

KYIV, Ukraine -- Belarusian authorities say more than half of the country's voters approved constitutional reforms that would allow its authoritarian leader to stay in power until 2035 and open the way for stronger military cooperation with Russia, while the Belarusian opposition denounced the vote as a sham.

The referendum on the reforms took place Sunday, several days after Belarus' closest ally Russia invaded its neighbor Ukraine. Moscow deployed forces to Belarusian territory weeks earlier under the pretext of joint military drills and then sent them rolling into Ukraine as part of a devastating attack that began last Thursday.

Belarus' Central Election Commission said that 65.2% of voters supported the constitutional amendments.

They bring back limits on presidential terms that had been abolished during President Alexander Lukashenko’s tenure, allowing a president only two five-year terms in office. However, the restriction will only take effect once a “newly elected president” assumes office, which gives Lukashenko an opportunity to run for two more terms after his current one expires in 2025.