The reason authoritarian regimes still hold elections | How We Got Here

Aleksander Lukashenko is doubling down on his critics ahead of the presidential election scheduled for late January. The question remains, why such a crackdown is still necessary and why even dictators need to go through the motions od democratic procedures. Detention centers mar Belarus’s political landscape, highlighting the grim reality in which political dissidents are locked up and beaten into submission. Today, we hear reports of a new wave of repressions ahead of the 2025 elections. Belarusians have protested against Lukashenko's regime in the past, and many continue to do so to this day from countries like Poland, where they can enjoy free speech. Join Jan Darasz and his guest, political scientist Dmitry Bolkunets for a deep analysis of Belarus's on the eve of another round of rigged elections.