{"id":3152,"date":"2023-09-28T12:40:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T09:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/?post_type=longreads&p=3152"},"modified":"2023-09-29T11:41:07","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T08:41:07","slug":"government-set-to-make-clean-sweep-of-2024-elections","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/3152\/","title":{"rendered":"Government set to make clean sweep of 2024 elections"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Belarus will hold parliamentary and local elections on February 25 without a single opposition contender running for the first time.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officials told to pick and back loyal candidates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka government has always done its best to prevent its opponents from taking local and parliamentary seats, but it at least allowed opposition candidates to run until recently. Opponents knew they did not stand a chance and used elections to promote their platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officials rewrote the rules as the government was struggling to suppress protests against vote rigging in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. Now law enforcers are free to label any idea, message or statement as extremism, incitement to hatred or an attempt to overthrow the constitutional order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIdentify reputable, patriotic people and professionals, and support them in elections for the parliament and All-Belarusian People\u2019s Assembly,\u201d the Belarusian leader told newly appointed executive officials on September 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no Communist Party. Everything is in your hands now,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the pro-government Communist Party of Belarus still a license to operate legally. But \u0141uka\u0161enka does not see it as a political player and is determined to keep even loyalist forces at bay. The Communists and three other remaining political parties are still present as a fa\u00e7ade mainly for window-dressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian strongman has established a Soviet-like election simulation mechanism. One difference is that elections are managed by his executive branch, not the Communist Party. The other is that candidates in the Soviet Union always ran unopposed. In Belarus under \u0141uka\u0161enka, voters usually see several names on the ballot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in 2024, the government is likely to stage a sham contest, at least for the parliamentary seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage-managed rituals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“We are absolutely transparent about the fact that we will support some people. This is natural. If we pretended to be chaste, we would be laughed at,” \u0141uka\u0161enka said on September 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opponents have accused him of rigging every election held during his almost 30-year rule and intimidating opposition candidates. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers have routinely concluded that Belarusian elections fell short of democratic standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government is unlikely to invite the OSCE monitors for the next year\u2019s election cycle though. It will surely invite observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), hoping that the mission will turn a blind eye as usual to the lack of genuine competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysts often say that the Belarusian political system is making transition from authoritarianism to totalitarianism. Despite its repressive nature, the government has not given up on window-dressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, the central election commission claims that it is working to improve procedures. On September 27, it approved regulations governing the commission\u2019s council of scientific experts. The experts are likely to present scientific arguments to justify election fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ihar Karpienka, chairman of the central election commission, said that the recent decision not to hold polls at diplomatic missions abroad has not violated any rights of Belarusian nationals. He said they can come to Belarus to cast their ballots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of those living abroad are afraid to return for fear of being arrested for taking part in the 2020 protests, donations or social media posts critical of the government. Opposition leaders have been tried in absentia and given lengthy prison sentences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voters to be presented with book of lies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Belarus\u2019 five-day early voting has been heavily criticized by observers as a process vulnerable to abuse. Authorities have been accused of forcing students, soldiers, state-sector employees and other people who depend on the government for income to cast their ballots early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opponents suspect that officials replace early ballots with ballots for government-picked candidates. The same practice is likely to be used during the February 2024 elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the central election commission has abolished the turnout threshold for parliamentary elections, it is likely to report high attendance to make numbers shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The central election commission intends to present young voters with Constitution gift books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually, it is a very interesting read. Young people will discover that Belarus is a democracy that guarantees freedom of expression, assembly, inviolability of the home and other rights and freedoms that are violated by the government on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opposition suggested that Belarusians vote in an election for its proto-parliament, Coordinating Council, instead. It will be difficult to persuade many people to vote online as long as security forces watch closely voters\u2019 online activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, democratic change through an election is no longer possible in Belarus. Only a major crisis can unsettle the entrenched regime.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Belarus will hold parliamentary and local elections on February 25 without a single opposition contender running for the first time. Officials told to pick and back loyal candidates The Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka government has always done its best to prevent its opponents from taking local and parliamentary seats, but it at least allowed opposition candidates to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":3114,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-3152","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGovernment set to make clean sweep of 2024 elections | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Belarus will hold parliamentary and local elections on February 25 without a single opposition contender running for the first time. 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