Two recent currency devaluations and a mounting financial crisis have put a significant dent in the armor of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. With his popularity now at its lowest rating since 2003, speculation has arisen over whether the authoritarian leader's 11-year reign in the former Soviet republic may be nearing its final stages.
However, the reality, according to Alex Nice, who coordinates the Russia and Eurasia Program at London's Chatham House, is that "falling support for Lukashenko does not automatically mean that his government is unstable."
Nice reminded Trend Lines on Tuesday that Lukashenko has systematically intimidated his domestic foes for so long that the disunity currently plaguing the country's opposition is unlikely to be overcome any time soon.