I have covered numerous elections where I witnessed prime ministers and presidents arriving at polling stations to cast their votes and answer reporters' questions. However, none quite compared to the scene at Polling Station 478 in Minsk.
Belarus's long-standing leader, Alexander Lukashenko, known as "Europe's last dictator," not only voted but also held a four-and-a-half-hour live press conference on state TV while the voting was still ongoing. This allowed journalists to question him about the controversial election denounced by his critics as "a sham."
During the press conference, Lukashenko addressed accusations of undemocratic practices such as imprisoning political rivals, stating, "Everyone has the right to choose. That is democracy. Some chose prison, others chose exile. We never forced anyone out of the country."
When confronted about the crackdown on protesters and the presence of political prisoners, Lukashenko defended his actions by emphasizing the importance of following the law and facing consequences for breaking it.
Regarding the lack of serious contenders on the ballot, Lukashenko justified the situation by highlighting the alignment of certain candidates' policies with his own.
While the European Union condemned the election as undemocratic, Lukashenko expressed indifference, prioritizing the recognition of the Belarusian people over international opinions.