MINSK • Belarus voted in an election yesterday pitting President Alexander Lukashenko against a former teacher who emerged from obscurity to lead the biggest challenge in years against the man who has ruled the country for a quarter of a century.

The 65-year-old Mr Lukashenko is almost certain to win a sixth consecutive term but could face a new wave of protests amid anger over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, the economy and his human rights record.

A crackdown on the opposition could hurt Mr Lukashenko's attempts to mend fences with the West amid fraying ties with traditional ally Russia, which has tried to press Belarus into closer economic and political union.

A former Soviet collective farm manager, Mr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994.

He faces a surprise rival in Ms Svetlana Tikhanouskaya, a former English teacher who entered the race after her husband, an anti-government blogger who intended to run, was jailed.

Her rallies have drawn some of the biggest crowds since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and yesterday she arrived at a polling station with hundreds of supporters chanting her name.

She expressed hope for a free election. "I really want the election to be honest, because if the authorities have nothing to fear, if all the people are for Alexander Grigoryevich (Lukashenko), then we will agree with that," Ms Tikhanouskaya said as she cast her ballot in the capital Minsk.

According to human rights groups, more than 1,300 people have been detained in the crackdown, including independent election observers and members of Ms Tikhanouskaya's campaign team.

After casting his vote, Mr Lukashenko denied imposing any repressive measures, dismissing the claims as "fake news or far-fetched accusations" and said he did not regard Ms Tikhanouskaya's camp as a threat.

"They are not worth enough to carry out any repression against them," he said.

Foreign observers have not judged an election to be free and fair in Belarus for a quarter of a century and Mr Lukashenko has warned protesters against taking to the streets after the vote.

In possible anticipation of unrest, local media reported squares being blocked off by the authorities in Minsk and the presence of some soldiers on the capital's outskirts.

Social media networks experienced disruption.

Queues also formed outside the Belarusian embassies in Moscow and Kiev for voters casting their ballot abroad.

"It is unbearable to have him in power for so many years. The man should understand himself that he must just leave," said Mr Yuri Kanifatov in Moscow, who voted against Mr Lukashenko.

Portraying himself as a guarantor of stability but criticised by the West as dictatorial, Mr Lukashenko says the opposition protesters are in cahoots with foreign backers to destabilise the country.

"Lukashenko a priori made it clear that he intends to retain his power at any cost. The question remains what the price will be," said political analyst Alexander Klaskovsky.

Wedded to a Soviet-style economic model, Mr Lukashenko has struggled to raise incomes and living standards in recent years.

He also faced anger over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, which he had earlier dismissed as a "psychosis" while suggesting drinking vodka and playing ice hockey as remedies.

Ms Tikhanouskaya, ignoring jibes about a woman's fitness to run for office, launched her campaign with the support of the wives of two other candidates, Mr Viktor Babariko, who was jailed, and Mr Valery Tsepkalo, who had fled abroad fearing arrest.

Ms Tikhanouskaya's campaign office said Mr Tsepkalo's wife has also left the country for Russia out of concern for her safety.

"We have been in contact with Veronika Tsepkalo. She says she is in Moscow and will vote there," the press service for the campaign said.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE