ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the makeup of the ruling elites who surround Lukashenka, and shows that they have not remained static but have changed over time. They are participants in patron–client networks that are common under neopatrimonialism, and in the Belarusian context this has taken on a bureaucratic form. Lukashenka is the principal patron at the top of the vertical of power. This chapter demonstrates that a variety of groups have been close to Lukashenka during his five terms. It is shown that old communist elites and new post-Soviet deputies were co-opted at the start of presidency. Former associates from his home region of Mahileu or contacts amongst the law enforcement agencies and security service that constitute the siloviki are shown to have played a significant role. These have been joined by civilian technocrats who have emerged as the system has consolidated. This chapter will highlight the emergence of Viktar Lukashenka, the president’s oldest son, as a new patron to which some in the system are gravitating. Finally, the potential benefits and risks for both patrons and clients in Belarus within adaptive authoritarianism will be analysed.
