ABSTRACT
This chapter starts by outlining which groups in the wider society tend to support the regime in Belarus. It explains Lukashenka’s populist appeal and the particularistic use of state resources through neopatrimonialism. It demonstrates the use of informal social contracts to reach out to floating voters beyond Lukashenka’s core support base. The chapter illustrates how the nature of authorities’ appeal to the electorate has adapted: from Lukashenka’s initial charismatic demagoguery to a populist, paternalistic appeal to the people, and then finally a mixture of rational choice or resigned acceptance by many in the population who are ready to grant the regime a degree of performance legitimacy. The chapter then examines cases of policy adaptation under Lukashenka. The first of these deals with managing the external dimension of ensuring domestic socio-economic stability. The second concerns the patriotic defence of state sovereignty by the authorities under Lukashenka. This chapter will analyse to what extent these areas have been successfully adapting to changing circumstances since the turn of the century in a bid to maintain support and stability in Belarus.
