TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusians are gearing up to cast their ballots in parliamentary and local elections on Sunday. These elections, closely monitored and tightly controlled by the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko, are expected to strengthen his iron-fisted rule. Despite calls for a boycott from the opposition, who denounce the voting as a meaningless charade, Lukashenko accuses the West of attempting to destabilize his government.
The majority of candidates belong to four officially registered parties: Belaya Rus, the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Party of Labor and Justice. All of these parties staunchly support Lukashenko’s policies, whereas over a dozen other parties were denied registration last year.
Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, currently in exile in Lithuania following challenging Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election, has called for voters to boycott the elections, stating that there are no candidates who offer real change. She referred to them as a farce manipulated by the regime.
This is the first election in Belarus since the contentious 2020 vote, which saw Lukashenko claim his sixth term in office and sparked widespread protests. In the following months, the nation was engulfed by massive demonstrations, with over 35,000 arrests, reports of brutality in police custody, and the shutting down of numerous media outlets and organizations.
To survive the protests, Lukashenko relied heavily on subsidies and political support from Russia, with the country even allowing Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Dissent has been met with relentless crackdowns, resulting in over 1,400 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, who remains behind bars.
The opposition claims that the early voting, which began on Tuesday, provides ample opportunities for the manipulation of votes, as ballot boxes remain unprotected for five days. Indeed, election officials stated that almost a quarter of the country’s voters cast their ballots during the first three days of early voting. Reports also emerged of students, soldiers, and civil servants being forced to participate in early voting.
Lukashenko, in a meeting with Belarusian law enforcement officials, alleged without evidence that Western countries were plotting a coup or planning to seize power by force. He ordered the police to increase armed patrols across the country to enforce law and order.
Following the election, Belarus is set to establish a new 1,200-seat All-Belarus Popular Assembly, which will include top officials, local legislators, union members, pro-government activists, and others. This body will possess significant power, including the authority to consider constitutional amendments and appoint election officials and judges.
The ballot itself saw some changes this time around; curtains were removed from voting booths, and voters were prohibited from photographing their ballots. In the previous election, activists encouraged voters to capture images of their votes to prevent authorities from manipulating the results in Lukashenko’s favor. State TV aired footage of Interior Ministry drills, demonstrating the apprehension of offenders who were photographing their ballots.
Belarus broke with tradition by refusing to invite observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to monitor the election. Despite being a member of the OSCE, which is a leading security and rights group, Belarus has not had a single election recognized as free and fair by the organization since 1995.
Observers noted that authorities are no longer even pretending that the election is democratic. Artyom Shraibman, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, described the election as a “systems test” for the government following the previous presidential election and the subsequent wave of protests. Shraibman emphasized that with the opposition banned from campaigning, the parliament will be devoid of alternative voices.
The implications of these events and the themes they represent are likely to have a lasting impact on Belarus. The country has faced ongoing repression and human rights abuses, with dissenting voices silenced and protesters subjected to violence. The refusal to allow international observers further erodes the belief in fair and transparent elections. The consolidation of power within Lukashenko’s regime, compounded by the lack of genuine opposition, suggests a bleak future for democratic processes in Belarus.
Looking ahead, it is crucial for the international community to monitor and address these developments. Belarus’s trajectory can serve as a cautionary tale for other nations experiencing similar challenges to their democratic systems. Efforts should be made to support civil society, protect human rights, and promote free and fair elections. Only through collective action and unwavering commitment to democratic principles can we strive for positive change and ensure a better future for all.
