Russia and Belarus are trapped stability – Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Protests against corruption and tyranny indicate that Putin and Lukashenko have brought their country to a standstill. Especially young people want more than just stability.
This writes Ivo Mijnssen in the article “trapped In stability”, published on the website of the newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
The biggest civil protests in many years, shocked the leaders of Belarus and Russia. These cases differ, unjust tax for unemployed in Minsk and the corruption scandal in Moscow, but they demonstrated a high level of dissatisfaction. Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin know it. So, after a moment, they responded with repression. In these countries there is no place for protests.
Stagnation instead of chaos
Their model of government that puts political stability above all else, turns into a dead end. But the fear of chaos without the strong hands of autocrats still provides a high support of the population. But it is more fragile than it seems. Belarus, which since 1994, Lukashenka can be considered a good example. He has rescued its citizens from the social hardships of the nineties, which led to the erosion of trust to a market economy in Russia. But at the cost of repression, isolation, dependence on Russia, and the abandonment of prospects that go beyond the status quo.
These protests are also dangerous for Lukashenka. They show that stability quickly turns into stagnation and dissatisfaction
Ivo Mijnssen, Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Because of the difficulties in Moscow after the fall in oil prices, the leader in Minsk tried to balance between East and West for the sake of power. The country is trapped rapprochement with Europe calls for the liberalization of the system, which poses a threat to Lukashenka’s rule. However, unwillingness to change has led to a serious economic crisis and falling living standards. These protests are also dangerous for Lukashenka. They show that stability quickly turns into stagnation and dissatisfaction.
See also:
Belarus decided the fate of the detainees at rallies three Ukrainians