Why Is Lukashenka so Concerned?

What if people rise.

Lukashenka once again used the word "mayhem" to describe the elections. What is bothering the ruler?

Political observer Aliaksandr Klaskouski writes about it in his article on naviny.by.

"Current pre-election mayhem, that is the word, before the "parliamentary elections" indicates that it is just a rehearsal of "presidential elections". There will be obstacles for us to overcome," Lukashenka said on September 12, when he appointed ambassadors, vertical officials and directors.

On November 13th last year, on the personnel day, the ruler used the same metaphor to the appointees: "Next year is a significant year. We face political mayhem, which lasts at least a year and a half. These are both the "parliamentary" and the presidential elections. They have never contributed to stability and peace in our society".

Earlier, the ruler admitted that he was "sick" from the rampant pre-election democracy.

So, the ruling elite is suffering from a phobia of destabilization. It is indicative that the authorities have divided the "parliamentary" and "presidential elections" (the second ones will probably take place in August 2020).

At that, he did not hesitate to reduce the term of office of the "House of Representatives" by ten months (the "deputies" have obediently swallowed it). De facto, the current elections to the "house" are early ones, although Lidziya Yermoshina, head of the Central Election Commission, shamefully rejects such a definition.

She has repeatedly explained that campaigns were being parted to prevent excessive politicization of society. This is an amazing motive: the elections, which in normal countries aim at politicization (the solution of issues in a civilized manner, not through barricades), are tried to be held here as a cemetery ritual. It is stated out in the open.

Lukashenka is in the crosshairs

However, Lukashenka, accepting credentials from ambassadors, noted that although the West had always reproached Belarus for boring election campaigns, the first days of the signatures collection campaign to the "House of Representatives" were quite active.

It's hard to tell what he meant. Maybe, a picket with the slogan "Lukashenka must go away", which has disturbed the verticals?

Strangely, this slogan makes officials feel so furious. First of all, the elections can result in a change of power. Second, the current ruler himself makes it clear that he is not Koschei the Deathless. Today, when appointing staff, Lukashenka said: "A new generation of people should come by now. We will leave someday".

However, the ruler of Belarus is not in a hurry. He is more concerned about the "presidential" campaign rather than about the "parliamentary one".

Lukashenka stated that if "parliamentary elections" would be criticized and some people would be attacked (I guess he meant candidates of the vertical), those blows would aim at the "president". The phrase is notable.

We can see that even these light variant of the elections make Lukashenka feel stress. There are several reasons for this.

First of all, although the average salary has been "pumped up," it is, in fact, only a repetition of what Lukashenka gave to the people back in 2010. That is, the country has spent a decade in a swamp, while the rest of the world (unique places like North Korea do not count) moved on.

The authorities have no reserves for a further serious rise in the population's income. Even now, wages have surpassed labour efficiency. It may trigger distortions in the economy.

Those who used to support him are now disappointed. The large public is not aware of the results of closed sociological researches, which the ruler receives. But the recent phrase of Lukashenka that "people do not burst in love with us" is indicative.

And this fear of destabilization, which is played on repeat has the ground in the form of poor ratings from these surveys, isn't it?

What if people rise?

Well, the main reason for the phobias of the Belarusian leadership lies in the psychology of authoritarianism. "Elections" are apriori treated as an attempt on the holy place. Hence, there are talks about some mysterious enemies.

"Elections" are a period when even a slumbering person can realize that the situation can change. Ukrainians did it and elected the one who was called a clown by one person.