Alexander Lukashenko was officially sworn in as the president of Belarus on Tuesday, beginning his seventh consecutive term in office.
Lukashenko's inauguration took place in the country's capital, Minsk, in the presence of high-ranking officials. He previously secured another five-year term after winning the presidential election in January, receiving 87.48% of the vote. Several European countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom, criticized the election, describing it as unfree.
A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko has been president since 1994. He remains the only person to have held the country's highest office and has effectively maintained power since Belarus gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
