The previous Chairman, Viktar Hanchar, had been an active critic of the 1996 Belarusian referendum and was removed by Lukashenko after serving just little over a month.

He cited that her position was illegal, as Yermoshyna was a member of incumbent Aleksandr Lukashenko's political team, compromising her neutrality, and was under international scrutiny for purportedly rigging the previous election.

[8] Independent observers of the election have noted vote counting irregularities and dozens have been subject to harassment and detention.

"[9] After the election and the subsequent protests, Yermoshina was banned from entering the European Union,[6] the United Kingdom,[10] Switzerland[11][12] and Canada.

[14] Lidia Yermoshina has been divorced twice,[15] and has a son, Aleksei, who died at age 40 of unknown causes in June 2017.