Nomination of candidates to Belarusian Council of Republic starts on March 12th

On March 12th, the nomination of candidates for members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus of the eighth convocation begins, sb.by reports

The Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus is the chamber of territorial representation. The procedure for the formation of the Council of the Republic combines elements of electability and appointment. Eight members of the Council of the Republic are elected from each region and the city of Minsk by secret ballot at meetings of the base-level councils of deputies. Eight members are appointed by the President of the Republic of Belarus.

Elections of members of the Council of the Republic are held on the basis of equal and indirect suffrage by secret ballot.

Requirements for candidates to the Council of the Republic: 

– citizenship of the Republic of Belarus;

– aged at least 30 years old;

– residence in the territory of the relevant region, the city of Minsk for no less than five years; 

– absence of a court conviction that has entered into force;

– absence of a foreign citizenship or other documents of foreign states granting the right to benefits and advantages in connection with political, religious views or nationality. 

The procedure for the election of members of the Council of the Republic is determined by the Electoral Code.

IMPORTANT: A member of the Council of the Republic may not simultaneously be the President of the Republic of Belarus, a deputy of the House of Representatives, a member of the Government, or a judge.

The right to nominate candidates to the Council of the Republic belongs to:

– presidiums of the local Councils of Deputies of the basic level and the respective executive committees,

– in the city of Minsk – the presidium of the Minsk City Council of Deputies and the Minsk City Executive Committee.

The nomination of candidates for members of the Council of the Republic will end on March 21st, after which the nomination decisions will be submitted to the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus.

The CEC of Belarus checks the compliance of the procedure for nominating candidates for members of the Council of the Republic with the requirements of the electoral legislation, composes a conclusion thereabout, and takes a decision on registration as candidates for members of the Council of the Republic or a reasoned decision on refusal of registration.

Registered candidates for members of the Council of the Republic are elected at meetings of local Councils of Deputies of the basic level of the region and sessions of the Minsk City Council of Deputies.

A candidate for the Council of the Republic who receives more than half of the votes of the deputies, having taken part in the voting, is considered elected.

The CEC of Belarus sets the results of the elections of members of the Council of the Republic from the regions and the city of Minsk and registers the elected members of the Council of the Republic.

The CEC of Belarus sends a message on the results of the elections and the list of elected members of the Council of the Republic from the regions and the city of Minsk to the printed media for publication and places it on its official website.