Fyaduta: Woman to become fourth Belarusian President

“Looking at European democracies and not only at them we can see that the era of women has come”, - says a political scientist Svyatlana Navumava. Belarus, no matter how offensive it may sound, is a very outdated country in a political sense, continues the expert:

"Women have entered the public scene in an unexpected and brilliant way. It is not Margaret Thatcher only although she used to be all alone among European politicians for a long time… Now there is Angela Merkel… many first ladies look very confident as public figures.
 
Belarus’ problem is caused by its political backwardness in the first place. There is still no place for a woman here because Belarus is a very patriarchal country. The majority of Belarusians are simply not ready to accept a woman in this role as a completely independent and all-sufficient person. We see women only in the role of a wife, assistant or favourite if you like, - but not as an independent political leader”.

Belarusian women have not even tried running for the position of the state leader. There was only one exception in 2001. However, it was an unsuccessful attempt, continues Svyatlana Navumava:

“Many hopes were pinned on Natallya Masherava when she said she would run for President in 2001. However, something impeded her and I think there were many factors. Including the fact that very few people perceived her as an independent politician. Although she looked very confident as a parliamentarian”.

Svyatlana Navumava hopes Belarus will undergo a political modernization soon. And maybe we will have a female President in 10 or 15 years. A political observer Alyaksandr Fyaduta has predicted in an interview with ERB that the fourth Belarusian President will be a woman:

“Our society is too patriarchal. It still thinks that God created Man in its image and likeness and it means that God has a beard and may even be bald sometimes. However, I think women are closer to God than us, because only women can give birth. I am sure that a woman will become President in Belarus sooner or later and she will be the fourth President”.
Mr. Fyaduta named a few women who were good enough to become state leaders:

“Tatstsyana Protska, Zhanna Litvina and Tatstsyana Bykava, a famous economist and civil activist, could become good presidents of Belarus. I think there are women in the government whose experience and culture of thinking could help them become good presidents. I understand that it does not sound like a compliment, but despite my bad attitude to Ms. Pyatkevich, she could become a good Belarusian President, much better than many Belarusian men”.
"Which Belarusian women could become our President? – we asked Minsk passers-by about it. They did not mention many names:

— I cannot mention any names as I do not even know any men who could become President of Belarus.
— I do not know any women who are public figures, at least I cannot think of any.
— I can’t even imagine any Belarusian women who could become President.
— I do not know.
— Eleanora Yazerskaya! I would gladly vote for her only. This woman can be an ideal woman and I think she would be good for it.

ERB has asked a potential presidential contender Yaraslau Ramanchuk what would be his attitude to a female rival and whether he could withdraw his candidature in her favour. The economist has regretted that there is no woman like that in Belarus now:

“However, if Angela Merkel or Margaret Thatcher ran for President in Belarus, I would gladly become a member of their team. I respect the necessity of women’s participation in all fields of social and political life, but we have not had a woman who would like to make her own way, to make a political career and to become an equal rival yet. There is no sexism for me here; it does not matter as long as the person is a professional”.