Alexander Lukashenko makes it a sixth time?

Written by Nicolas Guignard

The former Soviet apparatchik claims to have won 80% of the popular vote in the August 9th presidential election, in what many consider to be an obvious rigging. His fate now lies in the hand of Vladimir Putin.

Lukashenko could pretend to the title of the last remnant of the USSR, a gerontocrat of a bygone era. While most former soviet socialist republics in Europe took the path of economic and political democratization, Lukashenko ruled Belarus with an iron grip, effectively remaining Europe’s last and longest lasting autocrat.

Born in 1954 in the Belarussian SSR, he briefly served in the military before running a kolkhoz – a soviet collective farm and being appointed Deputy to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus, where he made a name for himself as an enemy of corruption. Subsequently, he was first elected president of Belarus in 1994, a job he still holds. Under his grasp, the country remained one of Russia’s closest allies, and just like Russia, suffered greatly from the collapse of the USSR. Belarus is among the poorest countries in Europe, and greatly relies on Russia for trade and investments.

Like many autocracies, inequalities are overwhelming, and most of the population is kept out of the economic, political and social life. While most former SSRs experienced the same post-soviet scheme of control by a strong man, most SSRs also experienced either economic development or a ‘color’ revolution. Georgia had its Rose revolution in 2003, Kyrgyzstan a Melon revolution in 2010, Armenia a Velvet revolution in 2018, and Ukraine an Orange revolution in 2004-5, followed by years of unrest and a civil war which started in 2014.

Belarus underwent troubles and civil unrest in 2005 (Jeans revolution), however this movement pales in comparison to the current one. As Lukashenko announced he would run for a sixth mandate in a race he thought was won, several opponents managed to gather some public support. Activist Sergei Tikhanovsky was banned from running, but his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took over as the main opposition figure. While she officially only won 10% of the popular vote, the announcement of her defeat sparked fire in the streets of Minsk, and millions of protesters gather every week in the hope of a regime change.

The oligarchy in power, with the support of Moscow, is cracking down in a violent way on the protests, and thousands are arrested, tortured and imprisoned each week. Lukashenko was sworn in a secret ceremony on September 29th, in what might prove a hopeless last move to escape justice and the trial which awaits him shall he be removed from power. Moscow however, does not seem keen on letting its closest ally and puppet state anchor itself to the western bloc.

Click Below for Further Reading!

Lukashenko: Soviet-Style Strongman on Europe's Doorstep.

Russian Forces Prepared to Help Belarus, Putin Says.

Belarus' Lukashenko Abruptly Sworn in as President as Protests Continue