Good Governance Promotion in the Context of Authoritarian Consolidation: The Case of Belarus

• In Event: Belarus III: Belarus as a Battleground: Resistance, Activism, Control

Abstract

This presentation explores how Belarus, an authoritarian state, has engaged with the principles of good governance as promoted by international organizations. During periods of relative liberalization (2008–2010 and 2015–2020), elements of good governance were introduced into public administration, only to be reversed following the 2020 protests, political repression, and Belarus’s increasing alignment with Russia. Despite escalating Western sanctions, international programs supporting good governance have persisted in some capacity, raising questions about their impact and adaptability. Using the concept of co-optation, this study examines how authoritarian regimes selectively adopt governance reforms to maintain legitimacy and control. Through an empirical analysis of governance-related initiatives before and after 2020, the presentation highlights the shifting role of international programs in Belarus and their strategic appropriation by the state.

Author

• Tatsiana Chulitskaya, Vilnius U (Lithuania)