| Belarusian Christian Democracy Belarusian: Беларуская хрысьціянская дэмакратыя Russian: Белорусская христианская демократия |
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|---|---|
| Leader | Paval Sieviaryniets |
| Founded | Original party founded in 1917 as Belarusian Christian Democratic Union, Revived party founded in 2005 |
| Headquarters | Minsk, Belarus |
| Ideology | Christian democracy |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| National affiliation | Belarusian Independence Bloc |
| International affiliation | None |
| European affiliation | European Christian Political Movement |
| Official colours | Blue |
| Website | |
| http://www.bchd.info/ | |
| Politics of Belarus Political parties Elections |
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The Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD, BChD, Belarusian: Беларуская хрысьціянская дэмакратыя) is a political movement in Belarus that was created at the beginning of the 20th century and is now being revived by several politicians.
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The Belarusian Christian democratic movement was created in early 20th century mostly by Belarusian theology students and seminarians. The Christian democratic circle in Vilna was publishing the weekly newspaper Bielarus.
In 1917 Belarusian political activists in St. Petersburg created the first Belarusian Christian democratic political organization - the Belarusian Christian Democratic Union (Belarusian: Беларуская хрысьціянска-дэмакратычная злучнасьць). Among the founders of the BCDU were the priests Adam Stankievič and Vincent Hadleŭski.
Christian democrats participated in the First All-Belarusian Congress in December 1917 and took active part in preparation for establishment of the independent Belarusian National Republic in 1918.
On November 6, 1927 on the basis of the BCDU a new political party was created in Wilno under the name The Belarusian Christian Democracy. Since then the party was active in West Belarus. While most of other West Belarusian political parties were leftist or even pro-Soviet, the BCD was centre-right.
After reunification of West Belarus with the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, many leaders and members of the BCD became victims to Soviet repressions or were killed by Nazis during the later Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany. In 1940 the party ceased to exist.[1] During the Soviet occupation of Belarus, no information about the BCD was public.
The first attempt to re-establish the BCD took place in 1991. All relevant documents for re-establishment were prepared, but the movement was never registered then[1].
In 2004 a group of former Young Front activists led by Paval Sieviaryniets and Alaksiej Shein created an initiative group to revive the Christian democratic party and are since then active under the brand Belarusian Christian Democracy.
The movement realises projects aimed to promote Christian values and Belarusian patriotism in the country. The yet unregistered party is in opposition to president Alexander Lukashenka.
BCD has active contacts with religious groups. Unlike its predominantly Catholic predecessor in early 20th century, the current BCD positions itself as a party uniting also Orthodox and Protestant Christians.
As of 2007, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice has declined to register the political party.[2].
The BCD has nominated its candidate Vital Rymasheuski at the Belarusian presidential election, 2010.