An Important Election despite Predictable Results

A brief analysis of the presidential elections in Belarus

The October 11 presidential election was the most important political event in Belarus in years. President Alexander Lukashenko, who was elected to a fifth term, benefited from the fragile security situation in Eastern Europe. Although the elections were peaceful, the EU should not be guided by purely pragmatic considerations in dealing with Belarus; it should watch developments in Belarusian society closely.