MINSK - Strongman Alexander Lukashenko was set to keep his forces in power Sunday as ex-Soviet Belarus elected a parliament in polls the united opposition refused to recognise even before they closed. With the man branded Europe’s last dictator keen to show off his democratic credentials and avoid a re-run should turnout dip below 50 percent, a barrage of state TV spots urged citizens to cast their ballots. But despite the state message polling stations looked empty, and even the head of Central Election Committee admitted voting was “weak”, confirming the lack of interest in a process in which most candidates already work for the state. At a polling station in one of the capital’s schools, pensioner Alla said she had voted for the incumbent pro-Lukashenko deputy in her district.