President of Belarus
Encyclopedia
The office of President of Belarus is the head of state
of Belarus
. The office
was created in 1994 with the passing of the Constitution of Belarus
by the Supreme Soviet
. This replaced the office of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet as the head of state. The tasks of the president including executing foreign
and domestic policy
, defend the rights and general welfare of citizens and residents and to uphold the Constitution. The president is mandated by the Constitution to serve as a leader in the social affairs of the country and to act as its main representative abroad. The duties, responsibilities and other transitional clauses dealing with the presidency are listed in Chapter Three, Articles 79 through 89, of the Constitution.
The term
for the president is five years, but due to a 1996 referendum, the election
that was supposed to occur in 1999 was pushed back to 2001. Under the 1994 constitution, the president could only serve for two terms as president, but due to a change in the constitution, term limits were eliminated. During the course of the office, three elections were held in 1994
, 2001
and 2006
. The last election was held on December 19, 2010. Alexander Lukashenko
has been the only person who has served as president since the elections in 1994.
. Under the government of the Byelorussian SSR
, the de facto
leader of the Soviet Republic was the first secretaries of the Communist Party of Byelorussia, the only legal party in Soviet Belarus. From independence until passage of the Constitution in 1994, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet was the head of state and the Prime Minister as the head of government. When the office of the presidency was created, the role of the prime minister was reduced to assisting the president and resulted in the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet, along with its Chairman, in 1996.
In the first set of elections for the office of president, the Prime Minister of Belarus, Vyachaslaw Kyebich, was defeated in a runoff vote by Alexander Lukashenko, resulting in Lukashenko becoming the first president. In elections of 2001 and 2006, which were contested by international observers, Western powers and internal opposition parties due for failing to meet democratic and fair standards, the incumbent Lukashenko defeated the other candidates within the first ballot. , he is the only person to have served as President of Belarus.
gives the status of head of state
to the President of the Republic of Belarus. He is also considered the guardian of the Constitution and the rights and freedoms of those who claim Belarusian citizenship or residency. The President is the personification of unification of the Belarusian state when conducting foreign or internal affairs and shall be the main representative when dealing with other nations or international organizations. The President is also entrusted with the safety, prosperity and stability of the country and acts as an intermediary between the bodies of the national government.
for president occur every five years by a national vote. Candidates, as soon as they are deemed eligible under Article 80 of the Constitution, are tasked with collecting signatures from eligible voters. After 100,000 signatures are collected and certified, the candidate is declared to be official by the Central Elections Committee. In the voting, the secret ballots are collected directly from eligible voters. During the first round of voting, if a candidate earns fifty percent plus one of the votes, they are declared the President-elect. If no one has achieved that number during the first round, then a run-off election
will occur between two candidates who won the most votes. The person who wins the most votes in the run-off is declared the President-elect.
In the event the office is vacant, the election to replace the president must occur between thirty and seventy days after the vacancy occurred. During normal election cycles, the elections must occur before the last two months of the current president. In either situation, the government body that calls for elections is the House of Representatives. The next set of presidential elections will occur in 2010. President Lukashenko, when addressing the press in February 2007, stated his health will determine if he will run in 2011 or step down at that time.
Part of the prerogative of the president is the right to call national referendum
s, and to call regular and extraordinary elections to the House of Representatives, the Council of the Republic
and local representative bodies. He can also dissolve the chambers of the Parliament, as the Constitution permits. It is his duty to appoint the Prime minister of the Republic of Belarus with the consent of the House of Representatives, and to decide the structure of the Government of the Republic of Belarus
. The President signs bills, and has the right to return it, fully or in parts, with objections to the House of Representatives. He also appoints– and can dismiss– the deputy Prime ministers, the ministers and the other members of the Government, and he decides in cases of resignation of the Government, or any of its members. With the consent of the Council of the Republic, the President appoints the Chairperson of the Supreme Court
, and can dismiss this Chairperson and other judges. The president is supposed to deliver annual messages to the Parliament, and has the right to participate in the sessions of Parliament and its bodies. In instances of strike, the president has the right, in instances specified in the law, to defer or suspend a strike for a period not exceeding three months. In international affairs, it is the President's duty to conduct negotiations and sign international treaties, and to appoint and recall diplomatic representatives of the Republic.
Not only the president is the head of government, he is the social leader of Belarus. The president delivers messages to the citizens several times a year and can issue decrees to establish red letter days and national holidays. The president is the main authority for the granting of Belarusian citizen and can present state decorations to honored individuals. The president also has the ability to determine the status of asylum seekers and grant pardon
s to convicted citizens.
As the Commander in Chief of the Belarusian Armed Forces, the President has the duty to protect the Belarusian territory from internal and external forces. The president can call for a state of emergency in the following cases: natural disasters, a catastrophe, or unrest involving violence or the threat of violence. Regardless if the declaration affects the entire country or sections of it, the Council of the Republic must be notified by the President and must seek their approval within three days of notification. The same rules applies if the President issues a state of martial law
in the event of a possible military action against Belarus. The President has to form and head the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus, and can appoint and dismiss the State Secretary of the Security Council and the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
must be sworn within two months of the election results being finalized. The text of the oath is as follows:
During the inauguration ceremony, members of both houses of the National Assembly
, government ministers, officials and judges from the Constitutional
, Supreme
and Economic Court
must be present. Upon reading of the oath, any powers held by a previous president will be transferred to the president-elect. The text of the oath can be found in Article 83 of the Constitution.
on the resolution to remove the President. An ad hoc
committee is formed and must make the determination about the state of health before any motion can begin. If the President has committed a grave crime, such as treason
, one third of the House must bring charges against the President formally. The investigation of the charges will be conducted by the Council of the Republic. In order to evict the President from office, a two-thirds majority is needed to vote in favor of conviction. The criminal case is further sent to the Supreme Court for review. The actions of either option must occur one month after the resolution is passed or the action will be considered void by the Constitution.
The president also has an official residence in Minsk
surrounded by the streets of Marx
, Engels
, Kirov
and Komsomol
. Like the American White House
, the streets close to the residence are closed off to vehicular traffic and are patrolled by police forces.
The standard's design is an exact copy of the national flag
, with the addition of the Belarusian national emblem
in gold. The standard's ratio of 5:6 differs from that of the national flag, making the standard almost square. The standard is bordered by a golden fringe
. There are several copies of the standard; the original is kept in the office of the President while other copies are used on buildings, residences and vehicles to denote his presence.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. The office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
was created in 1994 with the passing of the Constitution of Belarus
Constitution of Belarus
The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus is the ultimate law of Belarus. Adopted in 1994, three years after the country declared its independence from the Soviet Union, this formal document establishes the framework of the Belarusian state and government and enumerates the rights and freedoms...
by the Supreme Soviet
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was the Supreme Soviet in the Soviet Union and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments...
. This replaced the office of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet as the head of state. The tasks of the president including executing foreign
Foreign policy
A country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...
and domestic policy
Domestic policy
Domestic policy, also known as public policy, presents decisions, laws, and programs made by the government which are directly related to all issues and activity within the country....
, defend the rights and general welfare of citizens and residents and to uphold the Constitution. The president is mandated by the Constitution to serve as a leader in the social affairs of the country and to act as its main representative abroad. The duties, responsibilities and other transitional clauses dealing with the presidency are listed in Chapter Three, Articles 79 through 89, of the Constitution.
The term
Term of office
Term of office or term in office refers to the length of time a person serves in a particular office.-Prime Minister:In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister has no term limits...
for the president is five years, but due to a 1996 referendum, the election
Belarusian presidential election, 2001
Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 9 September 2001. The result was a victory for Alexander Lukashenko, who received 77.4% of the vote. Voter turnout was 83.9%.-Results:...
that was supposed to occur in 1999 was pushed back to 2001. Under the 1994 constitution, the president could only serve for two terms as president, but due to a change in the constitution, term limits were eliminated. During the course of the office, three elections were held in 1994
Belarusian presidential election, 1994
Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 23 June 1994, with a second round on 10 July. The result was a victory for Alexander Lukashenko, who received 80.6% of the vote in the second round. Voter turnout was 79.0% in the first round and 70.6% in the second.-Results:- Election maps :...
, 2001
Belarusian presidential election, 2001
Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 9 September 2001. The result was a victory for Alexander Lukashenko, who received 77.4% of the vote. Voter turnout was 83.9%.-Results:...
and 2006
Belarusian presidential election, 2006
Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 19 March 2006. The result was a victory for incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, who received 84.4% of the vote. However, western observers deemed the elections rigged...
. The last election was held on December 19, 2010. Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
has been the only person who has served as president since the elections in 1994.
Historical background
The Republic of Belarus was formed in 1991 shortly after declaring itself independent of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Under the government of the Byelorussian SSR
Byelorussian SSR
The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union. It was one of the four original founding members of the Soviet Union in 1922, together with the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
, the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
leader of the Soviet Republic was the first secretaries of the Communist Party of Byelorussia, the only legal party in Soviet Belarus. From independence until passage of the Constitution in 1994, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet was the head of state and the Prime Minister as the head of government. When the office of the presidency was created, the role of the prime minister was reduced to assisting the president and resulted in the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet, along with its Chairman, in 1996.
In the first set of elections for the office of president, the Prime Minister of Belarus, Vyachaslaw Kyebich, was defeated in a runoff vote by Alexander Lukashenko, resulting in Lukashenko becoming the first president. In elections of 2001 and 2006, which were contested by international observers, Western powers and internal opposition parties due for failing to meet democratic and fair standards, the incumbent Lukashenko defeated the other candidates within the first ballot. , he is the only person to have served as President of Belarus.
Constitutional status
Article 79 of the Constitution of BelarusConstitution of Belarus
The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus is the ultimate law of Belarus. Adopted in 1994, three years after the country declared its independence from the Soviet Union, this formal document establishes the framework of the Belarusian state and government and enumerates the rights and freedoms...
gives the status of head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
to the President of the Republic of Belarus. He is also considered the guardian of the Constitution and the rights and freedoms of those who claim Belarusian citizenship or residency. The President is the personification of unification of the Belarusian state when conducting foreign or internal affairs and shall be the main representative when dealing with other nations or international organizations. The President is also entrusted with the safety, prosperity and stability of the country and acts as an intermediary between the bodies of the national government.
Eligibility
In order to be able to run for office, a candidate must be a Belarusian citizen by birth that is over thirty-five years old. The candidate must also reside within the Republic for ten years and he or she must be able to cast a ballot legally. The provisions are set down in Article 80 of the Constitution.Election
ElectionsElections in Belarus
Belarus elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. The National Assembly has two chambers...
for president occur every five years by a national vote. Candidates, as soon as they are deemed eligible under Article 80 of the Constitution, are tasked with collecting signatures from eligible voters. After 100,000 signatures are collected and certified, the candidate is declared to be official by the Central Elections Committee. In the voting, the secret ballots are collected directly from eligible voters. During the first round of voting, if a candidate earns fifty percent plus one of the votes, they are declared the President-elect. If no one has achieved that number during the first round, then a run-off election
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
will occur between two candidates who won the most votes. The person who wins the most votes in the run-off is declared the President-elect.
In the event the office is vacant, the election to replace the president must occur between thirty and seventy days after the vacancy occurred. During normal election cycles, the elections must occur before the last two months of the current president. In either situation, the government body that calls for elections is the House of Representatives. The next set of presidential elections will occur in 2010. President Lukashenko, when addressing the press in February 2007, stated his health will determine if he will run in 2011 or step down at that time.
Constitutional duties
Articles 84 and 85 states the official political, social and national defense duties that are rested with the president Other than the enumerated powers, Number 30 allows the president to use other powers granted to him either from national law or from other sections of the Constitution.Part of the prerogative of the president is the right to call national referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s, and to call regular and extraordinary elections to the House of Representatives, the Council of the Republic
Council of the Republic of Belarus
The Council of the Republic is the upper house in Belarus' bicameral parliament, the National Assembly. The Council comprises 64 members and the representation is based geographically, most of the elected members come from civil society organizations, labour collectives and public associations in...
and local representative bodies. He can also dissolve the chambers of the Parliament, as the Constitution permits. It is his duty to appoint the Prime minister of the Republic of Belarus with the consent of the House of Representatives, and to decide the structure of the Government of the Republic of Belarus
Government of Belarus
The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus is the executive branch of state power in Belarus, and it is appointed by the President of Belarus...
. The President signs bills, and has the right to return it, fully or in parts, with objections to the House of Representatives. He also appoints– and can dismiss– the deputy Prime ministers, the ministers and the other members of the Government, and he decides in cases of resignation of the Government, or any of its members. With the consent of the Council of the Republic, the President appoints the Chairperson of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Belarus
The Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus is the highest-tier court inside of Belarus and acts as the final "court of review." Its general tasks include the oversight of lower-tier courts and can render justice in areas of general civil and criminal law...
, and can dismiss this Chairperson and other judges. The president is supposed to deliver annual messages to the Parliament, and has the right to participate in the sessions of Parliament and its bodies. In instances of strike, the president has the right, in instances specified in the law, to defer or suspend a strike for a period not exceeding three months. In international affairs, it is the President's duty to conduct negotiations and sign international treaties, and to appoint and recall diplomatic representatives of the Republic.
Not only the president is the head of government, he is the social leader of Belarus. The president delivers messages to the citizens several times a year and can issue decrees to establish red letter days and national holidays. The president is the main authority for the granting of Belarusian citizen and can present state decorations to honored individuals. The president also has the ability to determine the status of asylum seekers and grant pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
s to convicted citizens.
As the Commander in Chief of the Belarusian Armed Forces, the President has the duty to protect the Belarusian territory from internal and external forces. The president can call for a state of emergency in the following cases: natural disasters, a catastrophe, or unrest involving violence or the threat of violence. Regardless if the declaration affects the entire country or sections of it, the Council of the Republic must be notified by the President and must seek their approval within three days of notification. The same rules applies if the President issues a state of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
in the event of a possible military action against Belarus. The President has to form and head the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus, and can appoint and dismiss the State Secretary of the Security Council and the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
Oath of office
Before any person can assume the office officially, an oathOath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
must be sworn within two months of the election results being finalized. The text of the oath is as follows:
During the inauguration ceremony, members of both houses of the National Assembly
National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus
The National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus is the bicameral parliament that governs the Eastern European country of Belarus. The two chambers of the National Assembly are:*Council of the Republic- The upper house...
, government ministers, officials and judges from the Constitutional
Constitutional Court of Belarus
The Constitutional Court of Belarus is one of the top-tier courts in the Eastern European country. Created in 1994, the Court is run under guidelines that were issued in 1997. The purpose of the court is to render justice in areas where the constitution has come into question, such as a local law...
, Supreme
Supreme Court of Belarus
The Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus is the highest-tier court inside of Belarus and acts as the final "court of review." Its general tasks include the oversight of lower-tier courts and can render justice in areas of general civil and criminal law...
and Economic Court
Economic Court of Belarus
The Economic Court of Belarus is one of three top-tier court systems in the Republic of Belarus. The main jurisdiction of the court is dealing with economic, enterprise and monetary disputes between the national government and local governments or citizens. Cases dealing with state secrets are...
must be present. Upon reading of the oath, any powers held by a previous president will be transferred to the president-elect. The text of the oath can be found in Article 83 of the Constitution.
Removal
Articles 87 through 89 of the Constitution deal with how the presidency can change hands in-between election cycles. The President has the ability to resign from office at anytime under Article 87. The letter of resignation is sent to the House of Representatives and is accepted by them. The President has the ability to be removed from office if his physical or mental health is impaired under Article 88. In order for this to happen, a two-thirds majority must be reached in the House of Representatives and the Council of the RepublicCouncil of the Republic of Belarus
The Council of the Republic is the upper house in Belarus' bicameral parliament, the National Assembly. The Council comprises 64 members and the representation is based geographically, most of the elected members come from civil society organizations, labour collectives and public associations in...
on the resolution to remove the President. An ad hoc
Ad hoc
Ad hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
committee is formed and must make the determination about the state of health before any motion can begin. If the President has committed a grave crime, such as treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, one third of the House must bring charges against the President formally. The investigation of the charges will be conducted by the Council of the Republic. In order to evict the President from office, a two-thirds majority is needed to vote in favor of conviction. The criminal case is further sent to the Supreme Court for review. The actions of either option must occur one month after the resolution is passed or the action will be considered void by the Constitution.
Privileges
Under Article 79 of the Constitution, the president is immune from arrest, with exception to the treason/grave crimes clauses listed in Article 88 in the same document. Also under Article 79, the honor and dignity of the president will be protected by national law. Information, either printed in the news or reported on television, that is considered defamation against the president is illegal under Article 5 of the Belarusian Law on Press.The president also has an official residence in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
surrounded by the streets of Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, Engels
Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels was a German industrialist, social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research...
, Kirov
Sergey Kirov
Sergei Mironovich Kirov , born Sergei Mironovich Kostrikov, was a prominent early Bolshevik leader in the Soviet Union. Kirov rose through the Communist Party ranks to become head of the Party organization in Leningrad...
and Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
. Like the American White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, the streets close to the residence are closed off to vehicular traffic and are patrolled by police forces.
Symbols
Officially, the only symbol denoting the presence of the President is the standard of the office (Штандарт Президента Республики Беларусь). The standard, which has been in use since March 27, 1997, was adopted by a decree called "Concerning the Standard of the President of Republic of Belarus." signed into law by President Lukashenko.The standard's design is an exact copy of the national flag
Flag of Belarus
The current national flag of Belarus was formally adopted on June 7, 1995, following the result of a referendum voted on by the Belarusian people in the previous month. This new design replaced a historical flag used by the Belarusian People's Republic of 1918, before Belarus became a Soviet...
, with the addition of the Belarusian national emblem
National emblem of Belarus
The national emblem of Belarus , which replaced the historic Pahonia arms in a 1995 referendum, features a ribbon in the colors of the national flag, a map of Belarus, wheat ears and a red star. It is sometimes referred to as the coat of arms of Belarus, although this is incorrect due to the lack...
in gold. The standard's ratio of 5:6 differs from that of the national flag, making the standard almost square. The standard is bordered by a golden fringe
Fringe (trim)
Fringe is an ornamental textile trim applied to an edge of an item, such as drapery, a flag, epaulettes, or decorative tassel.Fringe originates in the ends of the warp, projecting beyond the woven fabric...
. There are several copies of the standard; the original is kept in the office of the President while other copies are used on buildings, residences and vehicles to denote his presence.
List of Presidents of Belarus (1994-Present)
- For leaders before independence, see List of national leaders of Belarus
# President Took office Left office Party 1 Alexander Lukashenko Alexander LukashenkoAlexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...20 July 1994 Incumbent Independent Independent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
/ Non-partisan
Latest election
See also
- List of rulers of Belarus
- List of national leaders of Belarus
- Academy of Public AdministrationAcademy of Public Administration (Belarus)The Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus , Minsk, is the leading higher educational establishment in a national education system of the Republic of Belarus and head establishment of education in system of training, retraining and in-service...