Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the President-elect of Belarus, whose victory in the 2020 presidential election is recognized by the international community. She is the Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and the leader of the country’s democratic movement.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s political journey began in 2020 when she decided to run for president following the arrest of her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski. According to the Holas (Voice) platform, at least three million people, or 56% of voters based on the actual turnout, voted for her. However, Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s illegitimate regime refused to recognize her victory, mass protests erupted across the country, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was forced to leave Belarus.
Under her leadership, the democratic forces of Belarus established alternative democratic institutions — the United Transitional Cabinet and the Coordination Council — which advocate for the interests of Belarusians and prepare the country for democratic change.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya works actively on the international stage, advocating for the release of political prisoners, support for civil society, the isolation of the regime, and the protection of the rights of Belarusian citizens. Her consistent cooperation with world leaders has helped strengthen partnerships with the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other democratic countries in order to advance democratic change in Belarus and prepare for a democratic transition.
Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned the aggression, expressed support for Ukraine, and called for the Lukashenka regime to be recognized as complicit in the war. She consistently advocates for increased international pressure on the regimes in Minsk and Moscow to secure the release of political prisoners, end repression, and stop Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s work has been recognized with a number of prestigious awards, including the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the Charlemagne Prize, the Four Freedoms Award (Netherlands, 2022), the John McCain Freedom Award, the Freedom Prize of the Lithuanian Seimas, the Cross of Merit of Estonia, and other international awards in the fields of human rights and democracy. In 2021 and 2022, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was born on September 11, 1982, in Mikashevichy. She graduated from Mazyr State Pedagogical University and is trained as an English teacher. Before entering politics, she worked as a translator and English language teacher.
In 2004, she married entrepreneur Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who later became a blogger and activist. Siarhei was arrested ahead of the 2020 election and recognized as a political prisoner. After more than five years of imprisonment, Siarhei Tsikhanouski was released in June 2025. The family has two children — a son and a daughter.
