Belarus votes to let leader seek 3rd term

MINSK, Belarus - Belarusians overwhelmingly approved a referendum on scrapping presidential term limits, the Central Elections Commission announced Monday, allowing the authoritarian leader of this ex-Soviet republic to seek a new term in 2006.

Opposition figures claimed that Sunday's vote was rigged in order to allow Alexander Lukashenko, often branded as Europe's last dictator, to stay in power. He has led the nation of 10-million since 1994.

Central Elections Commission chairwoman Lidiya Ermoshina announced early today that the preliminary tally of all the ballots showed more than 77 percent of the voters approved dropping the term limits and that nationwide turnout was nearly 90 percent.

Controversy arose after a government-endorsed exit poll showing the measure passing was released while the polls were still open. Under Belarusian law, exit poll results cannot be announced until voting is over to avoid influencing those who haven't cast their ballots.

Lukashenko, 50, whose second term expires in September 2006, has not said whether he would run again, but he is widely seen as wanting to hold on to power.

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