Belarusian president says has too much power, promises 2022 constitutional referendum

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday said his position wielded too much power and promised constitutional reforms that would be prepared this year and put to a vote in early 2022.

Lukashenko was speaking at a special assembly to debate political reform, which his opponents have dismissed as a sham exercise to allow him to cling to power after months of protests since a contested election last August.