“Lukashenka and Putin Learn from Each Other.” The Regime Is Thinking About Creating a New Political Fiction

What will the new party system in Belarus look like?

Last week, during the republican seminar-meeting “Updating Methods and Forms of Work with the Population at the Local Level,” Alexander Lukashenka stated that “party-building in the country will happen.”
“And start today.

Once the signal is given, register your parties and work,” the head of Belarus said.

He added:
“But if some party leader thinks that tomorrow we will cut a slice from this budget pie and give money to the party structure… Well, guys, take it from pensioners and so on — there is no extra money — do not count on it.”

UDF (https://udf.name/) asked experts what kind of party system Lukashenka wants to build and why.
“An even simpler model is being built than the one that existed before 2020”
Andrei Kazakevich, director of the Political Sphere Institute and Doctor of Political Science, noted in a comment to UDF (https://udf.name/) that it is difficult to understand from Lukashenka’s words what place he intends to assign to parties in the country’s political life.

Photo: dw.com
“After the protests of 2020, there was a discussion within the authorities about building a new party system, which could have involved creating a certain number of parties loyal to the regime that would work with different segments of the electorate and create a political field loyal to the regime.

The logic was to make the system more stable and recruit new people.

But today this idea looks much less relevant than it did in 2020–2021, when the issue of redistributing powers and strengthening the role of parliament was being discussed,” Kazakevich said.

He added:
“Lukashenka’s powers are being strengthened; an even simpler model is being built than the one that existed before 2020, and it is even more tied to one person.

In such a situation, it is not very clear how parties will fit into it.”

Parliamentary elections in Belarus will still be held without party lists.

And how might the creation of a new party system be connected with the formation of the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly as a new body of power?
“Of course, there will be representation from party organizations loyal to the regime in the ABPA.

But Lukashenka is unlikely to dare give parties serious influence in this new body.

Lukashenka wants to make this body as controllable as possible,” Kazakevich believes.

What will happen to opposition parties?
“The authorities have made threats that existing political parties need to undergo re-registration.

It will probably involve the liquidation of at least most opposition parties.

The current regime does not want to see active work by political structures that are not loyal to it,” Kazakevich believes.

Read in full (https://udf.name/news/sobytie/244573-lukashenko-i-putin-uchatsja-drug-u-druga-rezhim-dumaet-o-sozdanii-novoj-politicheskoj-fikcii.html)