In Tune With Lukashenka: Music Clips Laud, Lampoon Belarusian Leader

With a presidential election looming on October 11, a gaggle of grannies is singing the praises of Belarus’s four-term president, Alyaksandr Lukashenka. During his 21 years as a frequently heavy-handed leader, Lukashenka has been the focus of numerous songs. Unlike the current hit, however, many poke fun — some subtly, others blatantly — at the man dubbed by critics as “Europe’s last dictator.”

Decked out in colorful folkloric garb, the ladies of Krynichanka belt out their toe-tapping, shamelessly fawning tune — They Called Us When Lukashenka Was Coming — before a flag-waving crowd during a preelection variety show broadcast on state TV. A wide-eyed female presenter wows the audience, telling them the song has become an Internet hit, with tens of thousands of views on YouTube.