Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko [ c ] also transliterated as Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka ; [ d ] born 30 August is a Belarusian politician who has been the first and only president of Belarus since the office's establishment in , [ 7 ] making him the current longest-serving European leader. Before embarking on his political career, Lukashenko worked as the director of a state farm sovkhoz and served in both the Soviet Border Troops and the Soviet Army.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , he assumed the position of head of the interim anti-corruption committee of the Supreme Council of Belarus.
In , he won the presidency in the country's inaugural presidential election after the adoption of a new constitution. Lukashenko opposed economic shock therapy during the s post-Soviet transition, maintaining state ownership of key industries in Belarus. This spared Belarus from recessions as devastating as those in other post-Soviet states and the former Eastern Bloc countries which prevented the rise of oligarchy.
Lukashenko's maintenance of the socialist economic model is consistent with the retaining of Soviet-era symbolism , including the Russian language , coat of arms and national flag. These symbols were adopted after a controversial referendum.
Subsequent to the same referendum, Lukashenko acquired increased power, including the authority to dismiss the Supreme Council.
