2016 Belarusian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus on 11 September 2016.[1]

2016 Belarusian parliamentary election

11 September 2016

All 110 seats in the House of Representatives
Turnout74.68%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party KPB RPPS BPP
Last election 3 1 0
Seats before 3 0 1
Seats won 8 3 3
Seat change 5 2 3

  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Party LDP OGP
Last election 0 0
Seats before 0 0
Seats won 1 1
Seat change 1 1
Polling station in Povstyn
Women singing near polling station in Veseia
Members of a commission showing empty ballot box before its closure, Slutsk
OSCE observers in a polling station in Bokshytsy

Electoral system

The 110 members of the House of Representatives were previously elected using the two-round system. However, a new electoral code was introduced in 2013, abolishing the requirement for candidates to receive an absolute majority, effectively changing the voting system to first-past-the-post. All candidates are elected in single-member constituencies.[2] However, if there is only one candidate, they are required to receive at least 50% of the votes cast (voters may also vote against all).[2][3] Voter turnout in a constituency must be at least 50% for the election to be deemed valid.[3]

In cases where the turnout have not been met or no candidate has been elected, repeat elections will be held.[3]

Seat distribution
RegionSeats
City of Minsk20
Brest Region16
Gomel Region17
Grodno Region13
Mogilev Region13
Minsk Region17
Vitebsk Region14
Total seats110
Seal on a ballot box for early voting, Slutsk. Left picture was taken in the evening of the last day of early voting, right - in the morning next day

Participating parties

The pro-government Communist Party of Belarus, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Republican Party of Labour and Justice and the Belarusian Patriotic Party all participated in the elections, whilst many pro-government candidates ran as independents.

In contrast to the previous elections in 2012, the opposition did not boycott the elections, instead forming an alliance under the name Prava Vybaru (Belarusian: Права Выбару, Russian: Право выбора, 'The Right to Choose') consisting of the BPF Party, the Belarusian Christian Democracy, the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Assembly), the Za svabodu movement, the United Civic Party of Belarus, the Belarusian Party "The Greens", the Belarusian Liberal Party of Freedom and Progress and the Trade Union of Electric Industry.[4] The Belarusian Left Party "A Just World" also contested the elections.[5]

Party Leader Ideology Position Number of participating
constituencies
Liberal Democratic PartySergei GaidukevichPan-SlavismConstructive opposition (declarative)
Pro-government (in fact)
73
United Civic Party of BelarusAnatoly LebedkoLiberal conservatismPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"53
BPF PartyAlaksiej JanukievichBelarusian nationalismPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"45
Belarusian Left Party "A Just World"Sergey KalyakinDemocratic socialismOpposition37
Communist Party of BelarusIgor KarpenkoCommunism, Marxism–LeninismPro-government36
Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Assembly)Irina VeshtardSocial democracyPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"27
Republican Party of Labour and JusticeVasil ZadnyapranySocial democracyPro-government16
Belarusian Patriotic PartyNikolai UlakhovichSocial justicePro-government16
Belarusian Party "The Greens"Aleh NovikaŭGreen PoliticsPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"5

Results

The Central Election Commission stated that elections had been deemed valid in all constituencies. At the same time, independent observers declared that turnout data had been falsified in many constituencies, particularly in Minsk, and the real turnout was less than 50% required for the results in a constituency to be deemed valid.

The elections saw two opposition candidates win seats, the first since 2004. Hanna Kanapatskaya, a member of the United Civic Party won in one of the Minsk constituencies, whilst independent candidate Alena Anisim won in a constituency in the Minsk Region. The other 93 independent candidates were considered to be pro-government. The Communist Party of Belarus, the Republican Party of Labour and Justice and the Belarusian Patriotic Party all support President Alexander Lukashenko, and although the Liberal Democratic Party declares to be "constructive democratic opposition", it is de facto pro-government.

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Communist Party of Belarus380,7707.408+5
Liberal Democratic Party218,0814.241+1
Republican Party of Labour and Justice147,3782.873+2
United Civic Party111,2272.161New
Belarusian Patriotic Party111,0452.163New
BPF Party88,5111.7200
Belarusian Left Party "A Just World"72,1851.4000
Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Assembly)66,3811.2900
Belarusian Green Party9,0380.180New
Independents3,445,56267.0194–11
Against all491,9869.57
Invalid/blank votes69,707
Total5,211,8711001100
Registered voters/turnout6,978,49074.68
Source: CEC (Results), CEC (Candidate information)

References

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