View source for President of Belarus

{{Short description|Head of state and government of Belarus}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = President
| body = the<br />Republic of Belarus
| native_name = {{native name list |tag1=be |name1=Прэзідэнт Рэспублікі Беларусь |tag2=ru |name2=Президент Республики Беларусь}}
| insignia = 
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = 
| insigniaalt = 
| flag = Flag of the President of Belarus.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagalt = 
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = [[Flag of the president of Belarus|Presidential standard]]
| image = Alexander Lukashenko (2024-05-24) (cropped) 3.jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = 
| imagecaption = 
| incumbent = [[Alexander Lukashenko]]
| acting = 
| incumbentsince = 20 July 1994{{efn|Some countries [[International reactions to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and protests|do not recognize]] Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus since the [[2020 Belarusian presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200923-belarus-leader-lukashenko-holds-secret-inauguration-amid-continuing-protests|title=Belarus leader Lukashenko holds secret inauguration amid continuing protests|website=france24.com|date=23 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54262953|title=Belarus: Mass protests after Lukashenko secretly sworn in|work=BBC News|date=23 September 2020|quote=Several EU countries and the US say they do not recognise Mr. Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus.}}</ref> However, he continues to have [[de facto]] control over [[Belarus]], being supported by [[Russia]] and [[China]].}}
| department = [[Presidential Administration of Belarus]]
| style = [[Mr. President (title)|Mr President]]<br />{{small|(informal)}}<br />[[His Excellency]]<br />{{small|(diplomatic)}}
| type = 
| status = {{ubl|[[Head of state]]|[[Commander-in-chief]]}}
| abbreviation = 
| member_of = 
| reports_to = 
| residence = [[Independence Palace, Minsk]] {{small|(ceremonial)}}<br />Presidential Residence, [[Minsk]] {{small|(residential)}}
| seat = 
| nominator = 
| appointer = [[Direct election|Popular vote]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| termlength = Five years,
| termlength_qualified = renewable once
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Belarus]] (1995)
| precursor = [[Lists of political office-holders in Belarus|Chairman of the Supreme Council]]
| formation = {{start date and age|df=y|1994|7|20}}
| first = [[Alexander Lukashenko]]
| last = 
| abolished = 
| superseded_by = 
| succession = 
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = [[Prime Minister of Belarus|Prime Minister]]
| salary = ~84,000 [[Belarusian ruble]]s/US$33,600, annually<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://world-economic.com/articles_wej-218.html|title=How Much Presidents and Prime Ministers Make  |website=World Economic Journal|author= Elena Shesternina |date=March 2013}}</ref>
| website = {{url|http://www.president.gov.by/en/|Official website}}
| footnotes = 
}}

The '''president of the Republic of Belarus'''{{efn|{{langx|be|Прэзідэнт Рэспублікі Беларусь|Prezident Respubliki Biełaruś}}; {{langx|ru|Президент Республики Беларусь|Prezident Respubliki Belarus'}}}} is the [[head of state]] of [[Belarus]]. The office was created in 1994 with the passing of the [[Constitution of Belarus]] by the [[Supreme Council of Belarus|Supreme Council]]. This replaced the office of [[Supreme_Council_of_Belarus#Chairmen_of_the_Supreme_Council|Chairman of the Supreme Council]] as the head of state. The tasks of the president include executing [[foreign policy|foreign]] and [[domestic policy]], defending the rights and general welfare of citizens and residents, and upholding the Constitution. The president is mandated by the Constitution to serve as a leader in the social affairs of the country and to act as its main representative abroad. The duties, responsibilities and other transitional clauses dealing with the presidency are listed in Chapter Three, Articles 79 through 89, of the Constitution.

The term for the president is five years, but due to a [[1996 Belarusian referendum|1996 referendum]], [[2001 Belarusian presidential election|the election]] that was supposed to occur in 1999 was pushed back to 2001. Under the 1994 constitution, the president of Belarus could only serve for two terms, but due to [[2004 Belarusian referendum|a change in the constitution]], term limits were eliminated.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 October 2004 |title=Controversial Belarus vote scraps term limits |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6276009 |work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> In the [[2022 Belarusian constitutional referendum|2022 constitutional referendum]], a limit of two terms was reimposed, though only on "newly elected presidents". During the course of the office, elections were held in [[1994 Belarusian presidential election|1994]], [[2001 Belarusian presidential election|2001]], [[2006 Belarusian presidential election|2006]], [[2010 Belarusian presidential election|2010]], [[2015 Belarusian presidential election|2015]], [[2020 Belarusian presidential election|2020]] and [[2025 Belarusian presidential election|2025]]. [[Alexander Lukashenko]] is currently the only person to have been president of Belarus since the position was established in 1994. The presidential office is located in the [[Palace of the Republic, Minsk|Palace of the Republic]] in the capital [[Minsk]], while the presidential residence is located in [[Zaslawye]], near the capital.

Lukashenko heads an [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] government and has often been referred to as "Europe's last [[dictator]]".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Tharoor|first=Ishaan|title=Analysis {{!}} Can people power topple Europe's 'last dictator'?|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/08/24/belarus-protests-lukashenko/|access-date=24 August 2020|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=9 January 2007|title=Profile: Alexander Lukashenko|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3882843.stm|access-date=7 August 2014|quote='..an authoritarian ruling style is characteristic of me [Lukashenko]'}}{{Cite book|last1=Levitsky|first1=Steven|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NZDI05p1PDgC|title=Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War|last2=Way|first2=Lucan A.|date=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781139491488|series=Problems of International Politics|location=Cambridge|page=203|chapter=The Evolution of Post-SovietCompetitive Authoritarianism|quote=Unlike his predecessor, Lukashenka consolidated authoritarian rule. He censored state media, closed Belarus's only independent radio station [...].|author-link=Steven Levitsky|access-date=12 June 2020}}{{Cite news|title=One Week After Election, Belarus Sees Giant Protests Against 'Europe's Last Dictator'|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/08/16/903036245/one-week-after-election-belarus-sees-giant-protests-against-europe-s-last-dictat|access-date=24 August 2020|newspaper=NPR|date=16 August 2020|language=en|last1=Treisman|first1=Rachel}}</ref> [[Elections in Belarus|Elections]] are not considered to be [[free and fair elections|free and fair]] by [[Election monitoring|international monitors]], opponents of the regime are [[Political repression|repressed]], and the [[Censorship in Belarus|media is not free]].<ref>{{multiref2|{{Cite encyclopedia|last=Jones|first=Mark P.|date=2018|editor1-last=Herron|editor1-first=Erik S|editor2-last=Pekkanen|editor2-first=Robert J|editor3-last=Shugart|editor3-first=Matthew S|entry=Presidential and Legislative Elections|entry-url=https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190258658.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780190258658-e-23|access-date=21 May 2020|title=The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems|language=en|doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190258658.001.0001|isbn=9780190258658|quote="unanimous agreement among serious scholars that... Lukashenko's 2015 election occurred within an authoritarian context."}}|{{Cite book|last=Levitsky|first=Steven|title=Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid regimes after the Cold War|date=2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-88252-1|pages=4, 9–10, 21, 70|oclc=968631692}}|{{Cite journal|last1=Crabtree|first1=Charles|last2=Fariss|first2=Christopher J.|last3=Schuler|first3=Paul|date=2016|title=The presidential election in Belarus, October 2015|url=https://osf.io/x5m86/download|journal=Electoral Studies|language=en|volume=42|pages=304–307|doi=10.1016/j.electstud.2016.02.006|issn=0261-3794|s2cid=155377250|url-access=subscription}}|{{Cite web|title=Belarus strongman Lukashenko marks 25 years in power |date= 10 July 2019|author= Roman Goncharenko|url=https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-strongman-lukashenko-marks-25-years-in-power/a-49530563|access-date=21 May 2020|website=Deutsche Welle|language=en-GB}}
}}</ref><ref>{{multiref2|{{Cite web|date=17 November 2019|title=Belarus leader dismisses democracy even as vote takes place|url=https://apnews.com/50a5cd10537541a8933c65465f3fc113|access-date=21 May 2020|website=AP NEWS}}|{{Cite news|last=Rausing|first=Sigrid|date=7 October 2012|title=Belarus: inside Europe's last dictatorship|work=The Guardian|location=London|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/07/belarus-inside-europes-last-dictatorship|access-date=7 August 2014}}|{{Cite book|date=10 December 2019|title=World Report 2020: Rights Trends in Belarus|url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/belarus|access-date=21 May 2020|publisher=Human Rights Watch|language=en}}|{{Cite web|year=2007|title=Human rights by country&nbsp;– Belarus|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/region/europe-and-central-asia/eurasia/belarus|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212011715/http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/europe-and-central-asia/eurasia/belarus|archive-date=12 December 2007|access-date=22 December 2007|website=Amnesty International Report 2007|publisher=[[Amnesty International]]}}}}</ref>

==Historical background==
{{Politics of Belarus}}

Belarus first declared independence in early 1918 as the [[Belarusian Democratic Republic]]. Its head of state was the president of a provisional supreme governing body, the [[Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic]]. In 1919, the Soviet [[Red Army]] forced the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic into [[government in exile|exile]] where the Rada still exists, now led by President [[Ivonka Survilla]]. Under Soviet rule, the [[de facto]] leader of the [[Byelorussian SSR]] was the first secretary of the [[Communist Party of Byelorussia]], the only legal party in Soviet Belarus.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

The Republic of Belarus was formed in 1991 shortly after declaring itself independent of the [[Soviet Union]]. From independence until passage of the Constitution in 1994, the chairman of the Supreme Soviet was the head of state and the [[Prime Minister of Belarus|prime minister]] as the head of government. When the office of the presidency was created, the role of the prime minister was reduced to assisting the president and resulted in the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet, along with its chairman, in 1996.<ref name="byind">Country Studies [http://countrystudies.us/belarus/39.htm Belarus - Prelude to Independence]. Library of Congress. Retrieved July 12, 2007.</ref><ref name="cnn96">CNN {{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9611/26/belarus/index.html |title=Belarus president convenes new parliament |access-date=2007-06-07 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050124012146/http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9611/26/belarus/index.html |archive-date=January 24, 2005 }}. Published November 26, 1996. Retrieved June 7, 2007.</ref>

In the first set of elections for the office of president, the prime minister of Belarus, [[Vyacheslav Kebich]], was defeated in a runoff vote by Alexander Lukashenko, resulting in Lukashenko becoming the first president.<ref name="byind"/> In elections of 2001 and 2006, which were contested by international observers, [[Western powers]] and internal opposition parties due for failing to meet democratic and fair standards,<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|url=http://www.osce.org/documents/html/pdftohtml/18437_en.pdf.html|date=2006-03-20|title=Presidential Election, Republic of Belarus}}</ref> the incumbent Lukashenko defeated the other candidates within the first ballot. {{As of|2025|1|29}}, he is the only person to have served as President of Belarus.<ref name="bbc">[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] News [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1118391.stm Timeline of Belarus]. Published March 27, 2007. Retrieved July 12, 2007.</ref>

==Constitutional status==
Article 79 of the [[Constitution of Belarus]] gives the status of [[head of state]] to the president of the Republic of Belarus. They are also considered the guardian of the Constitution and the rights and freedoms of those who claim Belarusian citizenship or residency. The president is the personification of unification of the Belarusian state when conducting foreign or internal affairs and shall be the main representative when dealing with other nations or international organizations. The president is also entrusted with the safety, prosperity and stability of the country and acts as an intermediary between the bodies of the national government.<ref name="s4">Webportal of the President of the Republic of Belarus [http://www.president.gov.by/en/press19332.html Section 4 of the Constitution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217035445/http://www.president.gov.by/en/press19332.html |date=2007-12-17 }}. Published 1994, amended in 1996. Retrieved June 7, 2007.</ref>

During their tenure in office, the president is barred from formal membership in a political party.

==Selection process==

===Eligibility===
In order to be able to run for office, a candidate must be a Belarusian citizen by birth that is over thirty-five years old. The candidate must also reside within the republic for ten years and able to cast a ballot legally. The provisions are set down in Article 80 of the Constitution.<ref name="s4"/>

===Nomination and election===
[[Elections in Belarus|Elections]] for president occur every five years by a national vote. To be registered as a candidate for the presidency the prospective candidate is first required to have an initiative group of citizens containing no fewer than 100 persons.<ref name="Election">{{cite web |title=Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus, Article 61. Order of nominating candidates for the President of the Republic of Belarus, Chapter 15, Article 61 |url=http://law.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=Hk0000370ee |publisher=National Center of Legal Information of the Republic of Belarus |access-date=4 August 2020 |archive-date=30 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830125832/http://law.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=Hk0000370ee |url-status=dead }}</ref> The initiative group must be registered with the Central Elections Commission no later than 85 days before the election.<ref name="Election"/> If successfully registered, the nominated candidate is tasked with collecting at least 100,000 valid signatures from eligible voters. If the Central Elections Commissions find that this threshold has been reached, the candidate is officially certified to run for the presidency.<ref name="Election"/>

In the voting, the secret ballots are collected directly from eligible voters. The election is valid only if more than 50 % of registered voters cast a ballot. During the first round of voting, if a candidate earns fifty percent plus one of the votes, they are declared the President-elect. If no one has achieved that number during the first round, then a [[Two-round system|run-off election]] will occur between two candidates who won the most votes. The person who wins the most votes in the run-off is declared the president-elect.<ref name="s4"/>

In the event the office is vacant, the election to replace the president must occur between thirty and seventy days after the vacancy occurred. During normal election cycles, the elections must occur before the last two months of the current president. In either situation, the government body that calls for elections is the [[House of Representatives (Belarus)|House of Representatives]].<ref name="s4"/> The last round of [[Presidential election|presidential elections]] [[2025 Belarusian presidential election|occurred in 2025]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.belta.by/en/main_news?id=580390|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706163519/http://news.belta.by/en/main_news?id=580390|title=Belarus sets date of presidential election for 19 December 2010|archive-date=July 6, 2011}}</ref> President Lukashenko, when addressing the press in February 2007, stated his health will determine if he will run in 2011 or step down at that time.<ref>MosNews. [http://www.data.minsk.by/belarusnews/022007/218.html Rightist Group Promote Belarus Dictator Lukashenko as Russian Presidential Candidate]. Published February 28, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2007.</ref>

==Powers and duties==
Articles 84 and 85 states the official political, social and national defense duties that are rested with the president. Other than the enumerated powers, Number 30 allows the president to use other powers granted to them either from national law or from other sections of the Constitution.<ref name="s4"/>

Part of the prerogative of the president is the right to call  [[referendum]]s, and to call regular and extraordinary elections to the House of Representatives, the [[Council of the Republic (Belarus)|Council of the Republic]] and local representative bodies. They can also dissolve both chambers of the Parliament, as the Constitution permits. It is their duty to appoint the [[Prime Minister of Belarus|prime minister of the Republic of Belarus]], and to decide the structure of the [[Government of Belarus|Government of the Republic of Belarus]]. The president signs bills, and has the right to [[veto]] and return it, fully or in parts, with objections to the House of Representatives. They also appoint – and can dismiss – the deputy Prime ministers, the ministers and the other members of the Government, and they decide in cases of resignation of the Government, or any of its members.<ref name="s4"/>

The president appoints the chairperson of the [[Supreme Court of Belarus|Supreme Court]], and can dismiss this chairperson and other judges. The president is supposed to deliver annual messages to the Parliament, and has the right to participate in the sessions of Parliament and its bodies. In instances of strike, the president has the right, in instances specified in the law, to defer or suspend a strike for a period not exceeding three months. In international affairs, it is the president's duty to conduct negotiations and sign international treaties, and to appoint and recall diplomatic representatives of the Republic.<ref name="s4"/>

Not only is the president the head of government, they are the social leader of Belarus. The president delivers messages to the citizens several times a year and can issue [[decrees]] to establish red letter days and national holidays. The president is the main authority for the granting of Belarusian citizen and can present [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Belarus|state decorations]] to honored individuals. The president also has the ability to determine the status of asylum seekers and grant [[pardon]]s to convicted citizens.<ref name="s4"/>
[[File:Rank of the Supreme Commander of the Republic of Belarus.svg|thumb|Shoulder straps of the Supreme Commander of the Republic of Belarus|100px]]
As the supreme [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Belarusian Armed Forces]], the president has the duty to protect the Belarusian territory from internal and external forces. The president can call for a [[state of emergency]] in the following cases: natural disasters, a catastrophe, or unrest involving violence or the threat of violence. Regardless if the declaration affects the entire country or sections of it, the [[Council of the Republic (Belarus)|Council of the Republic]] must be notified by the president and must seek their approval within three days of notification. The same rules applies if the president issues a state of [[martial law]] in the event of a possible military action against Belarus. The president has to form and head the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus, and can appoint and dismiss the state secretary of the Security Council and the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.<ref name="s4"/>

==Oath of office==

Before any person can assume the office officially, an [[oath]] must be sworn within two months of the election results being finalized. The text of the oath is as follows:

{{cquote|''Assuming the office of President of the Republic of Belarus, I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of the Republic of Belarus, to respect and safeguard the rights and liberties of man and citizen, to abide by and protect the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, and to discharge strictly and conscientiously the lofty duties that have been bestowed upon me.''}}

During the inauguration ceremony, members of both houses of the [[National Assembly of Belarus|National Assembly]], government ministers, officials and judges from the [[Constitutional Court of Belarus|Constitutional]], [[Supreme Court of Belarus|Supreme]] and [[Economic Court of Belarus|Economic Court]] must be present. Upon reading of the oath, any powers held by a previous president will be transferred to the president-elect. The text of the oath can be found in Article 83 of the Constitution.<ref name="s4"/>

==Removal==
Articles 87 through 89 of the Constitution deal with how the presidency can change hands in-between election cycles. The president has the ability to resign from office at any time under Article 87. The letter of resignation is sent to the [[House of Representatives (Belarus)|House of Representatives]] and is accepted by them. The president has the ability to be removed from office if their physical or mental health is impaired under Article 88. In order for this to happen, a two-thirds majority must be reached in the House of Representatives and the [[Council of the Republic (Belarus)|Council of the Republic]] on the resolution to remove the president.<ref name="s4"/>

An ''[[ad hoc]]'' committee is formed and must make the determination about the state of health before any motion can begin. If the president has committed a grave crime, such as [[treason]], one-third of the House must bring charges against the president formally. The investigation of the charges will be conducted by the Council of the Republic. In order to evict the president from office, a two-thirds majority is needed to vote in favor of conviction. The criminal case is further sent to the Supreme Court for review. The actions of either option must occur one month after the resolution is passed or the action will be considered void by the Constitution.<ref name="s4"/>

==Privileges==
[[File:Minsk Präsidentenpalast 1.JPG|thumb|The Presidential Palace]]
[[File:Дворец независимости в Минске.jpg|thumb|[[Independence Palace, Minsk|Independence Palace]]]]
Under Article 79 of the Constitution, the president is immune from arrest, with exception to the treason/grave crimes clauses listed in Article 88 in the same document. Also under Article 79, the honor and dignity of the president will be protected by national law.<ref name="s4"/> Information, either printed in the news or reported on [[List of television channels in Belarus|television]], that is considered [[defamation]] against the president is illegal under Article 5 of the Belarusian Law on Press.<ref>Global Campaign of Free Expression [http://www.article19.org/pdfs/analysis/belarus-supreme-economic-court-decision-on-def.pdf Comment on the Decision of the Supreme Economic Court of the Republic of Belarus: Case 1-9/2002 of 13 June 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326042630/http://www.article19.org/pdfs/analysis/belarus-supreme-economic-court-decision-on-def.pdf |date=26 March 2009 }}. Published August 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2007.</ref><ref>Law of the Republic of Belarus [http://law.by/work/EnglPortal.nsf/6e1a652fbefce34ac2256d910056d559/1f80c30387b1623dc2256dc00051dc63?OpenDocument Legal Acts - On Press and Other Mass Media] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100606060039/http://law.by/work/EnglPortal.nsf/6e1a652fbefce34ac2256d910056d559/1f80c30387b1623dc2256dc00051dc63?OpenDocument |date=2010-06-06 }}. Passed 1995, amended in 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2007.</ref>

The Presidential Palace ({{langx|be|Рэзідэнцыя Прэзідэнта}}, {{langx|ru|Резиденция президента}}) is a [[Stalinist architecture|Stalinist Empire style]] building located on [[October Square, Minsk|October Square]] in [[Minsk]] surrounded by the streets of [[Karl Marx|Marx]], [[Friedrich Engels|Engels]], [[Sergei Kirov|Kirov]] and [[Komsomol]]. Like the American [[White House]], the streets close to the official residence are closed off to vehicular traffic and are patrolled by police forces. Having been used since 1994, it formerly housed the Central Committee of the [[Communist Party of Byelorussia]].<ref>Haaretz.com [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=769008 Two Steps Back] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718224136/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=769008 |date=2009-07-18 }}. Published by Lior Kodner on February 10, 2007. Retrieved July 12, 2007.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.comtourist.com/travel/minsk/minsk-architecture|title=Stalinist architecture of Minsk|website=www.comtourist.com|access-date=2019-06-03|archive-date=2020-12-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227220654/http://www.comtourist.com/travel/minsk/minsk-architecture|url-status=dead}}</ref> The president also has use of the [[Independence Palace, Minsk|Independence Palace]] in Minsk.

==Symbols==
{{mainarticle|Flag of the President of Belarus}}
Officially, the only symbol denoting the presence of the president is the [[Flag of the President of Belarus|flag of the president of Belarus]] (Штандар Прэзідэнта Рэспублікі Беларусь). The standard, which has been in use since March 27, 1997, was adopted by a decree called "Concerning the Standard of the President of Republic of Belarus." signed into law by President Lukashenko.

The standard's design is an exact copy of the [[Flag of Belarus|national flag]], with the addition of the [[National emblem of Belarus|Belarusian national emblem]] in gold. The standard's ratio of 5:6 differs from that of the national flag, making the standard almost square. The standard is bordered by a golden [[Fringe (trim)|fringe]]. There are several copies of the standard; the original is kept in the office of the president while other copies are used on buildings, residences and vehicles to denote their presence.<ref>[http://www.pravo.by/webnpa/text_txt.asp?RN=P39700217 Decree dated March 27, 1997, creating the presidential standard] {{in lang|ru}}. [http://www.vexillography.narod.ru/belarus/_presid.htm English summary of decree]{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://geraldika.ru/s/2071|title=Указ Президента Республики Беларусь О штандарте (флаге) Президента Республики Беларусь &#124; Геральдика.ру|website=geraldika.ru}}</ref>

==President of Belarus (1994–present)==
{{For|leaders before independence and in the period 1991–1994|List of national leaders of Belarus}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2| {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! rowspan=2| Name<br />{{small|(born–died)}}
! colspan=3| Term of office
! colspan=2 rowspan=2| Political party
! rowspan=2| Elected
|-
! Took office
! Left office
! Time in office
|-
| 1
| [[File:Alexander Lukashenko at the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting in 2024 (cropped 1).jpg|center|156x156px]]
| '''[[Alexander Lukashenko]]'''<br />{{small|(born 1954)}}
| 20 July 1994
| ''Incumbent''{{efn|name=fn1|A number of countries [[International reactions to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and protests|do not recognize]] Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus since the [[2020 Belarusian presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200923-belarus-leader-lukashenko-holds-secret-inauguration-amid-continuing-protests|title=Belarus leader Lukashenko holds secret inauguration amid continuing protests|website=france24.com|date=23 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54262953|title=Belarus: Mass protests after Lukashenko secretly sworn in|publisher=BBC News|date=23 September 2020|quote=Several EU countries and the US say they do not recognise Mr Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53780685|title=Exiled leader calls weekend of protests in Belarus|work=BBC News|date=14 August 2020|access-date=15 August 2020|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822120354/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53780685|url-status=live}}<br />{{Cite news|url=https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/golos-final-election-report/|title=Golos platform presents the final report on the presidential election|date=20 August 2020|newspaper=Voice of Belarus|access-date=13 December 2020|archive-date=26 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126143134/https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/golos-final-election-report/|url-status=live}}<br />{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-eu-rejects-lukashenko-inauguration-as-illegitimate/a-55038895/|title=EU rejects Lukashenko inauguration as illegitimate|date=24 September 2020|website=Dw.com|access-date=13 December 2020|archive-date=7 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207095441/https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-eu-rejects-lukashenko-inauguration-as-illegitimate/a-55038895|url-status=live}}<br />{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-belarus-election-sanctions/britain-and-canada-impose-sanctions-on-belarus-leader-lukashenko-idUKKBN26K2QV|title=Britain and Canada impose sanctions on Belarus leader Lukashenko|newspaper=Reuters|date=29 September 2020|last1=Ljunggren|first1=Josh Smith|access-date=13 December 2020|archive-date=11 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411164455/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-belarus-election-sanctions/britain-and-canada-impose-sanctions-on-belarus-leader-lukashenko-idUKKBN26K2QV|url-status=live}}<br />{{Cite web|url=https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/2/b/469539.pdf|title=OSCE Report on the Presidential Elections 2020 in Belarus|date=29 October 2020|website=[[Osce.org]]|access-date=13 December 2020|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204022616/https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/2/b/469539.pdf|url-status=live}}<br />{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54961111|title=Belarus protesters battered, bruised but defiant after 100 days|work=BBC News|date=17 November 2020|access-date=13 December 2020|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128013324/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54961111|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| {{ayd|1994|07|20}} 
| style="background: {{party color|Independent politician}};"| 
| [[Independent politician|Independent]]<br />{{small|(close to [[Belaya Rus]])}}
| [[1994 Belarusian presidential election|1994]]<br>[[2001 Belarusian presidential election|2001]]<br>[[2006 Belarusian presidential election|2006]]<br>[[2010 Belarusian presidential election|2010]]<br>[[2015 Belarusian presidential election|2015]]<br>[[2020 Belarusian presidential election|2020]]<br>[[2025 Belarusian presidential election|2025]]
|}

In the [[2020 Belarusian presidential election|2020 election]], Lukashenko was re-elected for a sixth term with [[Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya]] as the opposition candidate and the runner-up. Tsikhanouskaya would go on to create the [[Coordination Council (Belarus)|Coordination Council]], recognised by the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Belarus)|Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus]] as an extremist organisation.

==See also==
*[[List of national leaders of Belarus]]
*[[Academy of Public Administration (Belarus)|Academy of Public Administration]]
*[[Presidential Administration of Belarus]]
*[[Chief of Staff to the President of Belarus]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.president.gov.by/en/ Official website] {{in lang|en|be|ru}}

{{Belarus topics}}
{{BelarusPres}}
{{Europe heads of state and government}}
{{Belarusian elections}}
{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:President Of Belarus}}
[[Category:1994 establishments in Belarus]]
[[Category:Government of Belarus]]
[[Category:Presidents of Belarus| ]]