Brussels Forum Session: Civil Society’s Role in Building Democratic Resilience: Lessons from Central and Eastern Europe
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the president-elect of Belarus, according to independent observers of the August 9, 2020, election.
After the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, Tsikhanouskaya restructured the democratic movement's leadership by creating and chairing the United Transition Cabinet as a decision-making center. Belarusian anti-war activists led by Tsikhanouskaya conducted underground resistance in Belarus by sabotaging the railway transportation of Russian troops as well as volunteering for Belarusian-staffed units fighting for Ukraine.
As the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement, Tsikhanouskaya has visited 28 countries, gathering support and advocating for the release of more than 1500 political prisoners and a peaceful transition of power. In meetings with foreign leaders, she has emphasized the need for a bolder response to the actions of the Belarusian dictatorship.
Tsikhanouskaya entered the presidential race after her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanousky, was arrested for voicing his presidential aspirations. She united and successfully led the democratic coalition. Following her forced exile, she inspired unprecedented peaceful protests in Belarus. When Russia’s full-scale invasion began, she initiated the movement to prevent the participation of Belarus in the war against Ukraine. Among dozens of distinctions, Tsikhanouskaya is a recipient of the Sakharov Prize, the 2022 International Four Freedoms Award, and the Charlemagne Prize. In 2021 and 2022, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She has been recognized in Bloomberg’s Top 50 Most Influential People, Financial Times’ Top 12 Most Influential Women, and Politico’s Top 28 Most Influential Europeans.