Will released political prisoners join the elections to the Coordination Council? No enthusiasm visible yet
The other day, the Coordination Council adopted the Regulations on the next elections. The election campaign will take place in a situation where dozens of recently released political prisoners have found themselves outside Belarus. We asked some of them if they see themselves participating in the elections - as candidates or by supporting others.
The Coordination Council organizes hearings of representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet in Warsaw, 2023. Illustrative photo: Coordination Council / YouTube
"For now, without active steps"
Philosopher Uladzimir Matskevich, who spent more than four years in prison, says he does not plan to run:
"I haven't planned to run, I don't want to rush into being active, for now I will limit myself to specific actions. But fate might throw something unexpected my way, and I will have to react."
"For now, I've only decided whom I will definitely support in the CC elections. As much as I can," he says, but refrains from specifics.
"There are proposals, but no decision"
Politician Pavel Sevyarynets told "Nasha Niva" that he has already been approached with proposals to participate in the campaign: "There are proposals, but I haven't made a decision yet."
"I don't see the point"
Some former political prisoners have a more definitive answer: they will not participate in the elections in any format.
Thus, Yauhen Afnahel, coordinator of the "European Belarus" movement, spoke quite critically on this matter:
"I'm not going to, because I don't see the point. The Coordination Council does not influence the situation in Belarus in any way and is not even interesting to Belarusians in emigration, considering the number of participants in previous elections," he noted.
Blogger and former political prisoner Volha Takarchuk rules out her participation in the elections:
"No, I will neither run nor join anyone."
Former associate professor of Minsk State Linguistic University Natallia Dulina also does not intend to join the election campaign in any way.
"I am not a politician or an expert," the former political prisoner briefly explained.
Elections to the 4th convocation of the Coordination Council will be held from May 11 to May 17, 2026.
The previous elections to the Coordination Council took place in May 2024. At that time, 6,723 people participated in the voting. This number became the subject of great debate: a number of experts and public figures called it a defeat and a disaster for the democratic opposition. Others argued that in conditions of fierce pressure, it is unrealistic to expect more people to participate in the political struggle, that it is simply not the time to loudly and publicly build visible structures, but a time to quietly multiply quiet, non-public affairs.
The majority of votes (2,358) that time went to the unified list of Pavel Latushka and the "For Freedom" Movement. The second in terms of support were Prakopyeu and Yahorau (1,050 votes), while "Independent Belarusians" took third place with 616 votes.
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