Belarusian Elite: Structure and Trends (Research Findings)

Understanding the country’s political elite is important for assessing the possibility of change, the continuity of power, the level of political consolidation and stability, as well as the coherence of its vision of domestic and foreign policy.

At the same time, it is important both to analyze current changes within the elite and to attempt to view it as a distinct social and political group, thereby identifying significant and less obvious trends. This study, conducted by the Political Sphere Institute and BISS, appears to be the first attempt to trace social and political processes within Belarus’s “ruling class”.

The study made it possible to identify indicative trends in elite circulation and to record some informal rules governing the organization of power in Belarus. Below is part of the findings: specifically, a comparative analysis of three spheres — major state business (enterprises, banks), government (the Council of Ministers and the system of ministries), and parliament (the House of Representatives) — based on the following parameters of officials: age, gender, career field, and region.

The research findings can be viewed here:

Belarusian Elite: Structure and Trends