Without incidents and with high voter turnout – this is how the parliamentary elections in Belarus went from the regime’s perspective. Critics, however, speak of sham elections. Opposition and independent observers were not allowed.
A new parliament was elected in Belarus for the first time since the controversial presidential election in the summer of 2020 and the mass protests that followed. The nationwide vote took place without incident, the electoral commission in Minsk announced after the polling stations closed.
Participation in the vote was reported at 72.98 percent, supposedly 40 percent with early voting from Tuesday to Saturday. In addition to 110 members of parliament, around 12,000 representatives from local assemblies were also newly elected. Results have not yet been announced.
Neither free nor fair
However, the choice is considered neither independent nor free. The government of ruler Alexander Lukashenko did not invite independent election observers from the West. In total, only four parties were admitted, all of which were on Lukashenko’s course. Around a dozen other parties were excluded from the election last year.
The USA therefore condemned the vote as a sham election. The elections were held “in a climate of fear in which no electoral process can be described as democratic,” said ministry spokesman Matthew Miller.
Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who fled into exile, called the election a senseless farce. “There are no people on the ballot who would offer real changes because the regime has only allowed puppets that it approves of to take part,” Tikhanovskaya said in a video. The opposition, which had called for a boycott of the election, criticized the fact that ballot boxes had been left unprotected for days. That opened the door for manipulation.
Lukashenko wants to join Presidential election compete again
At the polls, Lukashenko announced that he would run again for the next presidential election. A date was not given. “No responsible president will abandon his people who followed him into battle,” he said, according to state media, addressing the barely existing opposition. “Don’t worry, we will do it the way it is necessary for Belarus.”
The 69-year-old has led Belarus since 1994. He is one of the closest allies of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine two years ago from Belarusian territory.
After the last presidential election in 2020, there were weeks of protests in Belarus. Lukashenko’s critics accused him of election manipulation – the EU no longer recognizes Lukashenko as head of state. More than 35,000 people were arrested and thousands are said to have been ill-treated in police custody. Independent media and non-governmental organizations were closed and banned.
accusation of Election influence
The Vyasna Human Rights Center – whose founder Ales Bialyazki is imprisoned – said students, soldiers, teachers and other civil servants were forced to cast their votes early. “The authorities are using all available means to ensure the result they need,” said Vyasna representative Pawel Sapelka.
For the first time in this election, the curtains were removed from the voting booths. Voters were also prohibited from taking photos of their ballot papers. In the 2020 election, Lukashenko’s opponents called on voters to photograph their ballot papers and thus document the votes against the ruler.
The OSCE has not classified a single election in Belarus as free and fair since 1995. She complained that the decision not to invite her election observers meant that Belarus would not receive a “comprehensive assessment from an international body.” Respect for human rights in the country continues to decline.