Belarus election set for January: Lukashenko's ritual unfolds
Belarusian officials are working to ensure everything is ready for the "presidential election" on January 26. Polish experts refer to it as "Lukashenko's election ritual." Four of the leader’s opponents have recently been registered.
Politician Aleh Haidukevich "supports Lukashenko" but simultaneously advocates for reforms that "improve citizens' quality of life while maintaining political stability." Communist Siarhei Syrankou aims to "promote socialist values, with an emphasis on social justice, free education, and healthcare." Meanwhile, Andrey Dmitriyeu wants to increase the minimum wage, improve working conditions, and enhance access to social services.
Hanna Kanapatskaya, an entrepreneur, is making the boldest moves, highlighting "the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and increasing transparency in public administration." She declares that she supports "strengthening civil rights and integrating with Western markets." Her campaign is reportedly directed mainly towards entrepreneurs and the younger electorate.
These alleged opponents of Aliaksandr Lukashenko were registered on December 23 by the national electoral commission to participate in the presidential elections. "Candidates still have time to adjust some of their campaign strategies, campaign among the population, meet voters, rethink, and review the programs they will represent," said Central Election Commission Chairman Igor Karpenko to the media. He assured that preparations are at a high level and that none of the candidates are filing protests.
Lukashenko has met the "competitors." Soon the "election ritual"
A Belarusian official has confirmed that the campaign will be surprisingly short. Starting January 1, candidates can present their programs and participate in debates, with the voting held on January 26. The results will be announced on February 5. It is widely expected that Lukashenko will retain power.
- We don’t call this an election. No standards are met. Thousands of people are imprisoned for political reasons. There is no real opposition to Lukashenko’s regime. His services are focused on combating Belarusian democratic circles operating in Poland - said Pavel Latushka, one of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition and Deputy Prime Minister in Belarus’s United Transitional Cabinet.
Experts from the Central Europe Institute in Lublin, Poland, agree that the information about the Belarusian elections is merely a façade for honest elections. "In an atmosphere of fear, mass repression, and forced mobilization of society in Belarus, another ceremonial electoral ritual and a propagandistic plebiscite will take place, resulting in entrusting the office of the president to the current leader. This definitively confirms the alternative-less nature of Belarus’s current political system," state CEI analysts in a report dedicated to the upcoming elections.
"Independent media in Belarus have been practically eliminated, all opposition political parties dissolved, the majority of non-governmental organizations forcibly closed, and about 1,500 political prisoners arrested and imprisoned. Conducting democratic, competitive, and fair presidential elections is not possible," the report continues.
Experts note that the elections were scheduled earlier than initially expected, resulting in shortening the current president's term by several months. Furthermore, in connection with the upcoming elections, there have been increased preventive actions from the authorities, including arrests of individuals suspected of planning protests.
