Elections in Full Swing: Lukashenka Everywhere

The ruling class is mobilizing significant state resources to conduct a campaign in support of the dictator. Propagandists are pressuring society to preemptively accept Lukashenka’s leadership and the results that will eventually be written into the election protocols. Repressive and propaganda pressures on the population are intensifying.

Lukashenka is paying considerable attention to the campaign, personally participating in election-related events. Every week, the dictator meets with various groups of the electorate, despite his poor health. Following a regional tour, he conducted propaganda among university students. Meanwhile, state television has begun airing a series about Lukashenka.

According to state media, Lukashenka is personally involved in planning the campaign. For example, the presidential orchestra has embarked on a tour of state enterprises as part of the so-called “Unity Marathon.”

The dictator is threatening negative consequences in the event of protests, including cutting off the internet. The primary targets of these statements are youth and IT professionals. This is likely one element of protest suppression aimed at deterring potential activists.

At the same time, the government is concerned about an increasing labor shortage. The ruling class hopes to alleviate the workforce deficit by increasing workloads and pressuring the unemployed. The government is reverting to Soviet-style approaches to address staffing issues, which align with the ideological views of the regime’s leader. Lukashenka is once again targeting the so-called “parasites.” However, it is unlikely officials will risk halting political purges in the public sector, which significantly contribute to worker emigration.

The ruling class is also intensifying a media-psychological operation to demotivate opponents. Security forces are conducting large-scale pre-election drills in the regions, heavily covered by the media.

Lukashenka is seeking to expand state regulation and control over the private sector.

The dictator proposed granting district leaders the authority to appoint heads of private companies. In doing so, Lukashenka is renegotiating the terms of his arrangement with regional elites: strengthening the positions of local nomenklatura in the redistribution of resources in exchange for political loyalty.

At the same time, the ruling class is continuing its purge of the education sector, targeting private institutions, including the closure of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Activity.

Since 2020, the regime has maintained a distrust of private business due to its support of protests. Although Lukashenka has always sought to limit the growth of the private sector in the economy, particularly small and medium-sized businesses.

Thus, the ruling class is ramping up repression and campaigning for Lukashenka as the voting day approaches.