Belarusians marched in Minsk for the eighth straight Sunday on Sept. 27, despite a lack of clear directions from prominent opposition leaders. Telegram channel NEXTA called for a “peoples inauguration” of opposition leader Svetlana Tikanouskaya in response to self-proclaimed Belarusian President Lukashenko’s secret inauguration ceremony on Sept. 23. Tikanouskaya congratulated Belarusians on the 50th consecutive day of protests on Sept. 27 without mentioning an inauguration. NEXTA’s calls did not result in any special protester action. Tikanouskaya likely intends to maintain influence with the ongoing NEXTA-led protest movement without tying herself to specific actions outside her control. Control of the Belarusian opposition remains split between NEXTA’s focus on active protests and Tikanouskaya’s promotion of international diplomatic efforts, undermining the focus of the protest movement.
Protests in Belarus
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Opposition supporters gather during a rally to protest against the presidential inauguration in Minsk on Sept. 27, 2020. Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko held his presidential inauguration in secret on Sept. 23, 2020, after claiming victory in disputed polls that his opposition rivals have described as massively rigged.
