DATE:
09/01/2006
In Short:
This policy brief, written by Wojciech Kononczuk and published by the Stefan Batory Foundation, looks at the domestic political scene in Belarus ahead of the scheduled 2006 presidential elections.
The weakness of the Belarusian opposition and the majority of the defeats it suffered has usually been explained by its inability to unite and act together. The choice of Alyaksandr Milinkevich as the oppositional forces' common candidate in the presidential elections - almost a year ahead of the projected date of elections - constitutes a significant progress when compared to the situation in 2001. At that time the divided opposition chose its leader, Uladzimir Hancharyk, only a month and a half before the election date. A comparison of biographies and political backgrounds of both politicians speaks decisively in favor of Milinkevich. In spite of that positive course of events among the united Belarusian opposition, two important questions remain topical: will the opposition manage to keep its unity until the election time? Will its candidate have a chance to break the information monopoly of the government which has been carefully preparing for an earlier election, and to reach the citizens with his political platform?
To read the article in full, visit the Stefan Batory Foundation's website.
Source:
http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-151334-16&type=Analysis
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