Parliamentary and Municipal Elections in Belarus

In: Rossija i novye gosudarstva Evrazii: ežekvartalʹnyj žurnal, Heft 1, S. 67-77

Abstract

The article describes the preparations for the elections to the upper house of the Belarusian Parliament – the House of Representatives of the National Assembly and local councils of all levels in February 2024. After the last presidential election in 2020 and the mass protests that followed, the constitution and the electoral code were changed in Belarus. The 2024 elections were the first to be held under the new legislation. Belarus invited observers to the elections only from friendly countries and international organizations. EU observers loyal to the Belarusian regime were also invited. The Belarusian opposition failed to create serious obstacles to the holding of elections. A number of media personalities have joined the House of Representatives, which should increase the information activity of the new parliament.