Authors

Discussion

The purpose of this paper is to underline the need to problematize the concept and phenomenon of political opposition in authoritarian contexts using Belarus as an example. Clearly there was/is political opposition in Belarus, but because of the authoritarian system this means something different than in a democracy. My paper surveys the institutionalised opposition in Belarus focusing on : what is political opposition in Belarus and what role(s) does it play? It suggests that until 2020, rather than being an instrument for democratization ‘political opposition’ as a concept and a phenomenon contributed to the consolidation of authoritarianism. Looking at the relations between opposition, state and society I attempt to show how the dynamic from these relations help us better understand lack of political change and the reinforcement of current regime. The chapter also features a discussion of how the 2020 presidential election impacted the development of the concept of opposition elaborating on the role of the ‘traditional’ political opposition parties during and after the popular mass mobilization as well as the rise of a ‘new political opposition’ consisting of previously apolitical, but now ‘politicized ordinary citizens’. The research mainly builds on interviews with ‘oppositional’ actors, e.g., advocates for change such as political, civic and human rights activists, and journalists, as well as local experts.