Belarus goes to the polls with longtime leader Lukashenko feeling the heat

Anger grows at president over economy, pandemic and plans for integration with Russia

Belarusians will go to the polls on Sunday in one of the most unpredictable elections in a generation, as longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko faces a spirited challenge from a united opposition that has gathered the largest political rallies since the days of the Soviet Union.

Lukashenko, who has consolidated immense power over 25 years of rule in Belarus, is expected to claim victory over the opposition candidate, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. But signs of vote rigging and growing dissatisfaction with his government, including among his base, may trigger protests in their wake and further embolden the opposition.