2016 Belarusian parliamentary election


Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus on 11 September 2016.

Electoral system

The 110 members of the House of Representatives were previously elected using the two-round system. However, a new electoral code was introduced in 2013, abolishing the requirement for candidates to receive an absolute majority, effectively changing the voting system to first-past-the-post. All candidates are elected in single-member constituencies. However, if there is only one candidate, they are required to receive at least 50% of the votes cast. Voter turnout in a constituency must be at least 50% for the election to be deemed valid.
In cases where the turnout have not been met or no candidate has been elected, repeat elections will be held.
RegionSeats
City of Minsk20
Brest Region16
Gomel Region17
Grodno Region13
Mogilev Region13
Minsk Region17
Vitebsk Region14
Total seats110

Participating parties

The pro-government Communist Party of Belarus, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Republican Party of Labour and Justice and the Belarusian Patriotic Party all participated in the elections, whilst many pro-government candidates ran as independents.
In contrast to the previous elections in 2012, the opposition did not boycott the elections, instead forming an alliance under the name Prava Vybaru consisting of the BPF Party, the Belarusian Christian Democracy, the Belarusian Social Democratic Party, the Za svabodu movement, the United Civic Party of Belarus, the Belarusian Party "The Greens", the Belarusian Liberal Party of Freedom and Progress and the Trade Union of Electric Industry. The Belarusian Left Party "A Just World" also contested the elections.
PartyLeaderIdeologyPositionNumber of participating
constituencies
Liberal Democratic PartySergei GaidukevichPan-SlavismConstructive opposition
Pro-government 		73
United Civic Party of BelarusAnatoly LebedkoLiberal conservatismPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"53
BPF PartyAlaksiej JanukievichBelarusian nationalismPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"45
Belarusian Left Party "A Just World"Sergey KalyakinDemocratic socialismOpposition37
Communist Party of BelarusIgor KarpenkoCommunism, Marxism–LeninismPro-government36
Belarusian Social Democratic Party Irina VeshtardSocial democracyPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"27
Republican Party of Labour and JusticeVasil ZadnyapranySocial democracyPro-government16
Belarusian Patriotic PartyNikolai UlakhovichSocial justicePro-government16
Belarusian Party "The Greens"Aleh NovikaŭGreen PoliticsPart of the opposition alliance "The Right to Choose"5

Results

The Central Election Commission stated that elections had been deemed valid in all constituencies. At the same time, independent observers declared that turnout data had been falsified in many constituencies, particularly in Minsk, and the real turnout was less than 50% required for the results in a constituency to be deemed valid.
The elections saw two opposition candidates win seats, the first since 2004. Hanna Kanapatskaya, a member of the United Civic Party won in one of the Minsk constituencies, whilst independent candidate Alena Anisim won in a constituency in the Minsk Region. The other 93 independent candidates were considered to be pro-government. The Communist Party of Belarus, the Republican Party of Labour and Justice and the Belarusian Patriotic Party all support President Alexander Lukashenko, and although the Liberal Democratic Party declares to be "constructive democratic opposition", it is de facto pro-government.