  Recent calculations of supersymmetric corrections to the conflicting ratios
$R_b$ and $R_c$ have shown that an alleged discrepancy between the SM
predictions of these observables and the corresponding experimental values can
be cured in the MSSM within a certain region of the parameter space. Here we
show that, in this very same region, also a well-known discrepancy between the
low and high energy determinations of $\alpha_s(M_Z)$ can be disposed of.
Specifically, we find that the lineshape determination of the strong coupling
constant, which in the SM points towards the large central value $\alpha_s(M_Z)
\stackrel{\scriptstyle >}{{ }_{\sim}} 0.125$, can be matched up with the value
suggested by the wealth of low-energy data, namely $\alpha_s(M_Z) \simeq 0.11$,
which is smaller and more in line with the traditional QCD expectations at low
energy. Our approach differs from previous analyses in that we argue that the
desired matching could originate to a large extent from a purely electroweak
supersymmetric quantum effect.
