Belarusian referendum, 2004

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A referendum on allowing President Lukashenko to stand in further elections was held in Belarus on 17 October 2004, alongside parliamentary elections.[1] Lukashenko was nearing the end of his constitutionally-limited two terms, and the change would allow him to run for a third term. The result was 88.9% in favour, with a turnout of 90.3%.[2]

Results

Do you permit the first President of the Republic of Belarus Lukashenko A.G. to participate as a candidate for Presidency of the Republic of Belarus during the President elections and do you adopt the Part I of Article 81 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus in the following wording:
President is elected for the term of 5 years directly by the people of the Republic of Belarus by means of the universal, free, equal and direct suffrage under the voting by secret ballot?
Choice Votes %
For5,548,47788.9
Against691,91711.1
Invalid/blank votes67,001
Total6,307,395100
Registered voters/turnout6,986,16390.3
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Controversy

Paragraph 112 of Belarusian Electoral Code lists "questions connected with election and dismissal of the President of the Republic of Belarus" among questions prohibited from being brought out to the Republican referendum.[3] There were several arrests of protesters against the result and reports of oppositional leaders being beaten by police.[4]

References

  1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p252 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p257
  3. "Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus". The National Center of Legal Information of the Republic of Belarus.
  4. "Dozens arrested at Belarus rally". BBC News. 2004-10-19. Retrieved 2010-12-20.

External links