Government of Belarus
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The Government of Belarus is the framework in Belarus that performs daily functions for the organization of the State. The government itself is divided into three sections (branches); the executive, legislative and judicial. The structure of the government and their duties are lined out in the Belarusian Constitution and by laws passed since its' adoption.
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[edit] Executive branch
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Alexander Lukashenko | 20 July 1994 | |
| Prime Minister | Sergey Sidorsky | 10 July 2003 |
The President of the Republic of Belarus is the official head of state for Belarus and is considered the highest government official. The duties of the President include signing laws passed by the legislature, appointing government ministers and to act on behalf of Belarus with other nation-states. The president has a group of officials called the Council of Ministers, led by a prime minister, that advise him on what should be done. The President is also the head of the armed forces. Since independence in 1991, two men have served in the office; with Alexander Lukashenko serving since 1994.
[edit] Legislative branch
The National Assembly (Nacionalnoje Sabranie) has two chambers. The House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley) has 110 members elected in single-seat constituencies elected for a four year term. The Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki) has 64 members, 56 members indirectly elected and 8 members appointed by a head of state - the president - . The House of Representatives has the power to appoint the Prime Minister of Belarus, make constitutional amendments, call for a vote of confidence on the prime minister and make suggestions on the foreign and domestic policy of Belarus. The Council of the Republic has the power to select various government officials, conduct an impeachment trial of the president and the ability to accept or reject the bills passed from the House of Representatives. Each chamber has the ability to veto any law passed by local officials if it is contrary to the Constitution of Belarus.
[edit] Political parties and elections
- For other political parties see List of political parties in Belarus. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Belarus.
| Candidates - Parties | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Lukashenko | 82.6 | |
| Alexander Milinkievič - United Democratic Forces of Belarus | 6.0 | |
| Sergei Gaidukevich - Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus | 3.5 | |
| Alaksandar Kazulin: Belarusian Social Democratic Party | 2.3 | |
| Total (turnout 92.6 %) | ||
| Source: "Landslide win for Belarus leader", BBC News, 2006-03-20. | ||
| Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of Belarus (Kamunistyčnaja partyja Biełarusi) | . | 8 | |
| Agrarian Party of Belarus (Ahrarnaja partyja Bełarusi) | . | 3 | |
| Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus (Liberalna-demakratyčnaja partyja Biełarusi) | . | 1 | |
| Non-partisans | . | 98 | |
People's Coalition 5 Plus (Narodnaja kaalicyja "Piaciorka plus")
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. | - | |
Democratic Centrist Coalition (Kaalicyja demakratyčnych centrystaŭ)
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. | - | |
| Conservative Christian Party (Kansiervatyŭnaja chryścijanskaja partyja) | . | - | |
| Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord (Sacyjal-demokratyčnaja partyja "Narodnaja zhoda") | . | - | |
| Belarusian Socialist Sporting Party (Biełaruskaja sacyjalistyčnaja spartyŭnaja partyja) | . | - | |
| Republican Party of Labour and Juctice (Respublikanskaja partyja pracy i spraviadlivasci) | . | - | |
| Total (turnout 90.1 %) | 6,096,138 | 110 | |
| Registered electors | 6,986,163 | ||
| Blank or invalid ballot papers | 201,462 | ||
| Source: IPU Parline. | |||
These elections fell according to the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission [1] significantly short of OSCE commitments. Universal principles and constitutionally guaranteed rights of expression, association and assembly were seriously challenged, calling into question the Belarusian authorities’ willingness to respect the concept of political competition on a basis of equal treatment. According to this mission principles of an inclusive democratic process, whereby citizens have the right to seek political office without discrimination, candidates to present their views without obstruction, and voters to learn about them and discuss them freely, were largely ignored.
[edit] Judicial branch
The judiciary comprises the Supreme Court and various specialized courts, such as the Constitutional Court, which deal with specific issued related to the constitution or business law. The judges of the Constitutional Court are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Council of the Republic.
