{"id":131768,"date":"2025-03-27T11:56:56","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T08:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/131768\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","slug":"lukasenkas-inauguration-dictator-stays-but-dream-of-freedom-endures","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/131768\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s inauguration: dictator stays, but dream of freedom endures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka regime has long suppressed celebrations of Freedom Day, which marks Belarus\u2019 brief period of independence in 1918. This year, the Belarusian leader timed his inauguration to coincide with the opposition\u2019s holiday and used the occasion to tout his dictatorship during the swearing-in ceremony.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n\n Belarusians celebrating the 100th anniversary of the declaration of independence by the Belarusian People\u2019s Republic in Minsk on March 25, 2018\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (tut.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“Dictator” brand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka dismissed the label “dictator” before, but more recently, both he and his propaganda machine have reframed the term in a more positive light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On inauguration day, authorities mobilized \u0141uka\u0161enka supporters waving national flags and stationed security agents along the motorcade route. State media aired enthusiastic reports, and officials worked hard to create the illusion of widespread joy. Meanwhile, the strongman took the oath for a seventh time, holding his hand on the Constitution\u2014one he has repeatedly rewritten to suit his ever-shifting political agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s inaugural speech seemed straight out of George Orwell\u2019s dystopian novel. He claimed to respect freedom of speech, stating, \u201cHalf of the world dreams of our dictatorship\u2014the dictatorship of real deeds and the interests of our people. There is nothing wrong with freedom of speech here. We have more democracy than those who declare themselves to be its standard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also asserted that Belarusians had demonstrated \u201celectoral sovereignty in action\u201d during the recent election. \u201cOver the years, we have managed to establish an election standard that can serve as an international model,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officials have often used the term \u201celectoral sovereignty\u201d to dismiss criticism from OSCE observers and defend the regime’s lack of transparency. In reality, this is a \u201cmodel\u201d that only beginner dictators might aspire to. \u0141uka\u0161enka, who emphasized his humble village roots when he first ran for office, has now spent 21 years in power and still promises to fight corruption during his seventh term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things change rapidly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Opposition leader Sviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja dismissed the inauguration as a mere formality that does not confer legitimacy on \u0141uka\u0161enka, noting that the election was rigged. She pointed out that his regime relies on repression, fear and support from the Kremlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, the January 26 election helped \u0141uka\u0161enka stabilize his regime after the massive unrest of 2020. He continues to maintain a firm grip on power, with the economy growing despite sanctions, something many Belarusians find tolerable. Society remains deeply polarized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Belarusians have come to terms with the oppressive reality, while others regret the ill-timed 2020 uprising, which led to the harsh crackdown on democracy (some even suspecting Moscow’s involvement in a conspiracy). A large number of voters have bought into propaganda claims that Belarus has avoided war only due to \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people have always been motivated by the principle of “a pint and a pork rind,” while others seized the opportunity to advance their careers during the purges. Security chiefs, their families, the government-backed business elite, bureaucrats and those who have always opposed \u201cfreedom fighters\u201d have benefited from the regime\u2019s repressive policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For opposition leaders, it\u2019s crucial to understand the complexity of society and engage with diverse audiences, rather than stick to the simplistic view that the people are simply groaning under the yoke of dictatorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opposition faces immense challenges. It can no longer capitalize on the momentum of the lost revolution or Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s popularity. As US President Donald Trump demonstrated by upending the world order, things can change rapidly. The collapse of traditional political reference points has prompted leaders to reconsider their priorities, methods and strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armed rebellion no longer possible<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, an armed uprising\u2014still a popular idea among romantics and those seeking simple solutions\u2014is no longer viable. If Trump forces Russia and Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire, some sanctions against Moscow and Minsk may be lifted. However, declarations of support for Belarusians\u2019 European aspirations must be backed by real opportunities to travel westward\u2014not the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is just one aspect of a highly complex issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regime\u2019s false unity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Opponents of the regime are often criticized for oversimplifying complex issues, but the authorities have taken simplification even further by presenting an overly rosy picture of a nation that wholeheartedly supports its leader and his policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, despite introducing National Unity Day, the government has failed to consolidate the nation. The regime lacks a genuine ideology and has no compelling vision for the future, while the idea of Belarus as part of the free European family remains attractive to many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official election results, which purportedly showed \u0141uka\u0161enka winning with 86.82 percent of the vote, bear no relation to the real public sentiment. Many Belarusians are tired of the dictatorship, and \u0141uka\u0161enka knows it. Not surprisingly, he often talks of invisible enemies who must be unmasked and eradicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The suppression of the 2020 peaceful protests has left many with a bitter sense of defeat. However, the uprising also revealed that the process of political nation-building has progressed too far to be reversed. The government’s effort to suppress Freedom Day celebrations abroad or to divert public attention to the inauguration ceremony cannot overpower the enduring allure of freedom and independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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