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BELARUS
Palata Predstaviteley (House of Representatives)

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Oversight and Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Natsionalnoye Sobranie / National Assembly
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Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Palata Predstaviteley / House of Representatives
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Soviet Respubliki / Council of the Republic
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1995- 04/1997
09/1997-
LEADERSHIP
President Vladimir Andreichenko (M) 
Notes Elected on 27 Oct. 2008, re-elected on 18 Oct. 2012, re-elected on 11 Oct. 2016.
Secretary General Galina Yurkevich (F) 
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 110 / 110
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


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Women (current number) 38 (34.55%)
Mode of designation directly elected 110
Term 4 years
Last renewal dates 11 September 2016
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address House of Representatives
Natsionalnoye Sobranie
Sovetskaya Str. 11
220 010 MINSK
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (375 17) 222 60 15
222 65 00
Fax (375 17) 222 31 78
E-mail protocol@house.gov.by
Website
http://www.house.gov.by/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name (generic / translated) Natsionalnoye Sobranie / National Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Palata Predstaviteley / House of Representatives
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Soviet Respubliki / Council of the Republic
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 15 March 1994
Constitution (Art. 64 - 72)
Mode of designation directly elected 110
Constituencies 110 single-member constituencies
Voting system Majority: Simple majority vote.
In the first round, voting is considered valid if over 50 per cent of eligible voters take part in the polls. Candidates who receive over 50 per cent of votes are declared elected.
If none of the candidates obtains 50 per cent of votes, a run-off election between the two leading candidates is held within two weeks. Run-off elections are considered valid if more than 25 per cent of eligible voters take part. The candidate securing a simple majority of votes wins the seat. If the second round of voting is held for only one candidate, the candidate needs to obtain the support of over half of the voters taking part in the election.
Voter requirements - age 18 years or over
- Belarusian citizenship
Disqualifications: citizens considered by the courts as incapable, persons sentenced by courts to confinement in places of imprisonment, and persons who have been placed in preventive detention under legislation governing penal justice procedure.
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - qualified voters
- age: 21 years or over
- Belarusian citizenship
- residence in the country
Incompatibilities - President of the Republic
- Judges
- Members of the Council of the Republic
- Members of a local Council of Deputies
Candidacy requirements Candidatures may be submitted by registered political parties, labour collectives or by individuals or groups that collect 1,000 signatures of voters residing in the constituency concerned. Any organization located in the constituency with a staff of at least 300 employees may also submit a candidature.

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name (generic / translated) Natsionalnoye Sobranie / National Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Palata Predstaviteley / House of Representatives
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Soviet Respubliki / Council of the Republic
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 11 September 2016
Timing and scope of renewal Candidates supporting President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, once again dominated the elections to the House of Representatives. Most winning candidates were formally non-partisan, with only 16 of the 110 seats going to candidates presented by political parties. For the first time since 2000, two opposition candidates won parliamentary representation: one from the United Civil Party and one independent candidate.

Election campaigning was reportedly low profile. Opposition parties advocated democratisation, EU integration and promised to maintain good relations with Russia. President Lukashenko urged MPs to "work hard: make laws and fulfill his/her promises, do good for the state and the people".
Date of previous elections: 23 September 2012

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Expected date of next elections: September 2020

Number of seats at stake: 110 (full renewal)

Number of candidates: 485

Percentage of women candidates: About 25%

Number of parties winning seats: 5

Alternation of power: No
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 111 September 2016
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
6'978'490
5'211'871 (74.68%)

Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Non-partisans
Communist Party of Belarus
Belarusian Patriotic Party
Republican Party of Labour and Justice
Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus
United Civil Party
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
Non-partisans 94
Communist Party of Belarus 8
Belarusian Patriotic Party 3
Republican Party of Labour and Justice 3
Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus 1
United Civil Party 1
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
72

38

34.55%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
House of Representatives (03.10.2016)
http://rec.gov.by/sites/default/files/pdf/Elections-PPNS6-soob1.pdf
http://www.belarus.by/en
http://eng.belta.by/

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name (generic / translated) Natsionalnoye Sobranie / National Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Palata Predstaviteley / House of Representatives
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Soviet Respubliki / Council of the Republic
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Linked representation - imperative mandate
Start of the mandate · At the beginning of the first session of the legislature. Procedure.
Validation of mandates · No validation
End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends - or on the day of early dissolution
Can MPs resign? No
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes Revocation before expiry of mandate by the electors (Art. 72 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of 27.11.1996): the voting for the recall of a deputy is exercised in the order determined for the election of the deputy, and on the initiative of no less than 20 percent of the citizens eligible to vote and resident in the corresponding area.
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament:
1. The President
2. The Vice-President
3. The President of the Permanent Commission
Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic passports
· Basic salary
+ Additional allowance
· No exemption from taxes
· Special pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Assistants
Obligation to declare personal assets No
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 102 (1) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament.
· Derogations: charges of slander and insult (Art. 102 (1) of the Constitution); use of rude or insulting words, call for illegal and violent action (see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 102 (2) and (3) of the Constitution).
· It applies to criminal and civil proceedings and covers all offences with the exception of State treason and other very serious crimes. It protects MPs only from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, not from the opening of judicial proceedings against them and from their homes being searched. However, when criminal proceedings are instituted, a special procedure applies (trial by the Supreme Court).
· Derogations: in case of flagrante delicto, State treason and other very serious crimes, the protection does not apply (Art. 102 (2) of the Constitution).
· The current state of law does not provide an answer to the question of parliamentary inviolability preventing MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate. Since it does not cover judicial proceedings in general, it does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 102 (2) of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the House of Representatives
- Procedure: in this case, MPs can be heard, but do not have means of appeal.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
· It is provided by the House of Representatives and professionals.
· Handbook of parliamentary procedure:
- Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings, committee meetings and meetings of other bodies of which they are members.
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation: in cases of absence from plenary sittings without plausible reasons, the MPs can be deprived of their indemnity for the time of their absence.
· Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the President of the House of Representatives
Discipline
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system, but there are some relevant provisions
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Permanent Commission of the House of Representatives
· Procedure
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 17 October 2016
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