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Alexander Lukashenko has said that a woman’s role is not to lead Belarus.
The head of state, who has ruled the Eastern European country for 30 years, is set to run for re-election in the presidential elections scheduled for early next year. Speaking to reporters, he reiterated his belief that leading a nation is not a role for a woman.
“God forbid that a woman is elected in Belarus. It’s the hardest work, you shouldn’t burden a woman like that,” he said.
“We should not shift our responsibilities to women. I admire women, I do not diminish their role at all. But they should be there for us to lean on, a strong shoulder,” the Belarusian leader added.
Alexander Lukashenko’s remarks were reportedly made in reference to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a prominent opposition figure who claimed to have won the 2020 election after her husband, the original candidate, was arrested.
Following what many deemed a rigged election, widespread protests erupted but were brutally suppressed by the regime. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled the country to avoid arrest and now lives in Lithuania.