Freedom House 2. Marginalizing the opposition: As noted above, maintained some illusion of pluralism as one of their authoritarian leaders use their media power to main concessions to the post-Cold War international or- paint critics as knaves or buffoons. Especially der, a number of governments have been less attentive through television coverage, opposition figures to this priority, drifting back toward the electoral tactics, are presented as clownish, effeminate, shady, and lopsided results, of 20th-century dictatorships. elitist, or enslaved by foreign interests. The mes- sage is pounded home day after day, until the In Belarus, the election of just two members of the image of the opposition as small and unfit to opposition to the rubber-stamp parliament in 2016 was rule is fixed in the public's mind. actually regarded as a step forward from the 2004, 2008, and 2012 balloting, in which no opposition candidates 3. Tolerating the pseudo-opposition: Having jailed, won seats. Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was exiled, or silenced potentially competitive oppo- accused of directing an assassination squad prior to the sition figures, authoritarians tolerate nominal op- 2001 presidential election. Four politicians and journal- position parties that are effectively controlled by ists who had been critical of the incumbent disappeared the regime. These groups have accepted the su- prior to the vote. After Lukashenka won another term in premacy of the incumbent leadership and settled a deeply flawed 2010 election, the authorities arrested into their roles in a stage-managed democracy. over 700 protesters, including seven of the nine opposi- tion presidential candidates. The regime later sentenced 4. Criminalizing protest: The crippling of formal three of the former candidates to prison terms." opposition parties leads many voters to chan- nel their dissent into loosely organized civic Ethiopian opposition members were beaten and arrest- activism, often relying on protest