Belarusian parliamentary election, 2004
Encyclopedia
Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus
on 17 October 2004, with a second round of voting in two constituencies on 27 October, and a third round in one on 20 March 2005. The vast majority of successful candidates, 97 of 109, were independents. Voter turnout was reported to be 91.04% in the first round.
A total of 359 candidates contested the election, with oppositing parties claiming that around 40% of their candidates were not registered. The OCSE
delegation noted that although all candidates were given a set amount of free television and radio airtime and a free statement in the national press, over 80% of television news time was dedicated to President Alexander Lukashenko
in the five weeks before the election. They also noted concerns about the independence of the Electoral Commission and a lack of transparency during the voting and counting process. The government also closed down nine independent newspapers in the lead-up to the elections.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
on 17 October 2004, with a second round of voting in two constituencies on 27 October, and a third round in one on 20 March 2005. The vast majority of successful candidates, 97 of 109, were independents. Voter turnout was reported to be 91.04% in the first round.
A total of 359 candidates contested the election, with oppositing parties claiming that around 40% of their candidates were not registered. The OCSE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
delegation noted that although all candidates were given a set amount of free television and radio airtime and a free statement in the national press, over 80% of television news time was dedicated to President Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
in the five weeks before the election. They also noted concerns about the independence of the Electoral Commission and a lack of transparency during the voting and counting process. The government also closed down nine independent newspapers in the lead-up to the elections.
Results
| Party | Round | Total seats |
+/– | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Second | Third | |||||||||
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |||
| Communist Party of Belarus Communist Party of Belarus The Communist Party of Belarus is a political party in Belarus, that supports the government of president Alexander Lukashenko. It was created in 1996. The leader of the party is Tatsyana Holubeva.... |
8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |||||||
| Agrarian Party | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | –2 | ||||||
| Liberal Democratic Party | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| People's Coalition 5 Plus People's Coalition 5 Plus The People's Coalition 5 Plus was a political alliance in Belarus, that opposed the regime of president Alexander Lukashenko.At the last legislative elections, 13–17 October 2004, the alliance won no seats.... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
| Republican Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord The Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord is a political party in Belarus, that opposes the government of president Alexander Lukashenko.It was created in 1997. Leader of the party is Sergey Yermak.... |
0 | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | –1 | |||||
| Independents | 96 | 1 | 1 | 98 | |||||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 201,462 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Total valid votes | 6,297,600 | 108 | 34,567 | 1 | 1 | 110 | 0 | ||||
| Source: Nohlen, IPU | |||||||||||