Lukashenko win defies Western democracy

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko won his fifth re-election recently by sweeping back to power with 84 percent of votes. The Western world is not happy about the result and neither is the Belarusian opposition. However, eye-rolling and curses are unlikely to tamper with Lukashenko's new five-year rule. The European Security Council scrutinized the election, and the West have not questioned the result, because Lukashenko's overwhelming popular support seems to be unquestionable. Belarus is still under some sanctions by the West after some opposition members were arrested for waging illegal protests in 2011. Lukashenko has also become, in the eyes of the West, the last dictator in Europe. However, he has been given an affectionate nickname "batka" - or "father" by his compatriots, in a stark contrast with how the West pictures him. When Lukashenko was elected as the first president of Belarus in 1994, the country was in chaos due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Lukashenko started his political career by fighting corruption. Under his leadership, Belarus regained social stability and economic growth, an outstanding achievement among the Commonwealth of Independent States. Belarus seems to have done something right in the past years, for it is much safer, richer and more stable than its turbulent neighbor Ukraine. Lukashenko's successful rule has ensured his success in all the past elections. It is abnormal from a Western perspective that a man can be in charge of a state for consecutive 21 years. Belarus' political system is Western in style, but they are different. Belarusians have accepted the difference, and the tragic outcome of Ukraine's "revolution" makes them believe that Lukashenko's way might be better. Ukraine used to be a straight-A student in learning Western democracy among the Commonwealth. But now, the ironic contrast between a poor and disordered Ukraine and a rich and stable Belarus has proven that Western democracy does not fit all countries without conditions. It is also dangerous to believe a life-long presidency is good for a country only due to Belarus. We have to admit that certain countries, like Belarus and Kazakhstan, have managed to explore a new path, which is a challenge to the "universality" of Western democracy. They should be analyzed for the diversity of human society governance. Western sanctions against Belarus are aggressive in disregard of the will of the Belarusians. It was reported that the EU would relax its sanctions, which could be an interesting signal. Lukashenko has a bad reputation in the West. Political terms like democracy and dictatorship cannot generalize his administration. Only time can tell where authoritarianism will go.