Civic Mobilization in Belarus: The Case of the 2020 Election

The 2020 presidential electoral campaign in Belarus resulted in a popular mobilization against Aliaksandar Lukashenka’s regime at a scale the country had not seen for almost three decades. 

Three new presidential candidates, Siarhei Tsikhanousky, Viktar Babaryka, and Valer Tsapkala, none of whom represented the established political opposition, inspired great enthusiasm in society and attracted many volunteers for their campaigns. Lukashenka swiftly arrested Tsikhanousky and Babaryka, after which Tsapkala left the country, fearing for his freedom. Tsikhanousky’s wife, Sviatlana, however, was allowed to register as a candidate because Lukashenka severely underestimated her potential to lead a campaign. She ended up uniting opposition to the regime around the demand for a fair election and ran a very successful campaign, despite obstruction by the regime. 

On election day, the voting results were grossly falsified, which triggered wide-scale protests across the country. Lukashenka responded with a brutal crackdown, which came as a moral shock to a society not used to large-scale violence. The shock triggered an even bigger wave of mobilization, which lasted for months but ultimately subsided in the face of continuing repression. 

What led to this wave of mobilization and what supported its spread? Learn more by downloading our report, Civic Mobilization in Belarus: The Case of the 2020 Election. A shorter case study summary is also available for download.

These resources are part of Freedom House's research project, How Civic Mobilizations Grow in Authoritarian Contexts.