YCSU Young Democrats
Encyclopedia
Youth Christian Social Union Young Democrats is a Christian democratic
youth organisation from Belarus
. Since 2004 it has a permanent observer status in the Youth of the European People's Party
(YEPP). YCSU-Young Democrats was admitted as observer member of the European Christian Political Youth Network
in 2004 too.
at the period of 1998 – 2003, but than on the eve of the 2004 parliamentary elections
, it has lost its legal status when the Supreme Court
made a decision on the liquidation of YCSU Young Democrats based on the suit of the Ministry of Justice. The main reason for that was that YCSU Young Democrats members got involved in political campaigning for oppositional candidates and street actions.
In 2002 Youth Christian Social Union merged with Youth of the United Civil Party of Belarus and a new brand YCSU Young Democrats was created For the period of 2002-2008 YCSU Young Democrats was cooperating with the United Civil Party of Belarus
, but at the last congress the decision was taken to work as an independent youth organisation. Some members of YCSU Young Democrats did not support the decision to restrain cooperation with United Civil Party, left YCSU Young Democrats, and stayed in UCP Youth.
After a congress of 2009 when was taken the decicion to support Milinkevich as a candidate for the forthcoming elections, YSCU Young Democrats made one more attempt to gain a legal status, but Minisrty of Justice of Belarus declined, and Supreme Court
supported decicion of the Ministry.
under the aegis of OSCE. YCSU supported the decision of majority of democratic organizations to take an active part in campaign of boycott of the unfree and undemocratic "parliamentary elections".
2001. at the time of Prsidential elections
in Belarus YCSU formed a "Peramenaw!" (For Changes) coalition with other youth organisations, including Young Front, the Association of Belarusian Students, the Association of Young Entrepreneurs, Young Hramada, the UCP Youth, the Belarusian Association of Young Politicians. YSCU activists took part in work in headquarters, independent observation, and mobilization campaigns. YSCU supported Aliaksandr Yaroshuk and Vladimir Goncharik
2003. Active participation in local elections (as candidates, volunteers and managers). A number of members of the organization became the deputies of the local councils in cities including Mogilev
, Rogachev and others.
2006. During Prsidential elections
YCSU Young Democrats supported Milinkevich as a single opposition candidate for the 2006 Presidential election. After the election results were broadcasted, YCSU Young Democrats took an active part in Jeans Revolution
. 10 members of YCSU Young Democrats were arrested when police attacked tent camp erected on October Square in Minsk.
2008. At Parliamentary elections
YCSU Young Democrats had 3 candidates in the united list
of 110 oppositional candidates. Aliaksandr Shumkevich in Maladzyechna
, Anna Yhorava in Minsk
, Artur Tsurbakou in Gomel. But according to the official results the oppositional parties failed to gain any of the 110 available seats, all of which were given to parties and non-partisan candidates loyal to president Alexander Lukashenko
.
Aliaksandr Shumkevich received 5566 votes, 10,39% of all votes in Maladzyechna
2009 YCSU Young Democrats was amongst the founders of Belarusian Independence Bloc
.
Since its establishment, numerous activists of YCSU Young Democrats were arrested and inprisoned by Belarus police and KGB because of their political activeness.
The main goal of YCSU Young Democrats is the preparation of a new generation of policymakers in Belarus.
Artur Tsurbakou - deputy chairman
Aliaksandr Kuushunau - international secretary
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
youth organisation from 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 ,...
. Since 2004 it has a permanent observer status in the Youth of the European People's Party
Youth of the European People's Party
Youth of the European People's Party is an umbrella organization of European political youth organisations and is the official youth wing of the European People's Party. YEPP bring together over 54 Centre-Right youth political organisations from over 35 countries all over Europe...
(YEPP). YCSU-Young Democrats was admitted as observer member of the European Christian Political Youth Network
European Christian Political Youth Network
The European Christian Political Youth Network is an organisation that brings Christian, politically active young people from all over Europe together...
in 2004 too.
History
Youth Christian Social Union was founded in 1997 and officially registered by Ministry of Justice of BelarusBelarus
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 ,...
at the period of 1998 – 2003, but than on the eve of the 2004 parliamentary elections
Belarusian parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus on 17 October 2004, with a second round of voting in two constituencies on 27 October, and a third round in one on 20 March 2005. The vast majority of successful candidates, 97 of 109, were independents...
, it has lost its legal status when 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...
made a decision on the liquidation of YCSU Young Democrats based on the suit of the Ministry of Justice. The main reason for that was that YCSU Young Democrats members got involved in political campaigning for oppositional candidates and street actions.
In 2002 Youth Christian Social Union merged with Youth of the United Civil Party of Belarus and a new brand YCSU Young Democrats was created For the period of 2002-2008 YCSU Young Democrats was cooperating with the United Civil Party 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 ,...
, but at the last congress the decision was taken to work as an independent youth organisation. Some members of YCSU Young Democrats did not support the decision to restrain cooperation with United Civil Party, left YCSU Young Democrats, and stayed in UCP Youth.
After a congress of 2009 when was taken the decicion to support Milinkevich as a candidate for the forthcoming elections, YSCU Young Democrats made one more attempt to gain a legal status, but Minisrty of Justice of Belarus declined, and 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...
supported decicion of the Ministry.
Political activities
2000. Independent observation over the Parliamentary electionsBelarusian parliamentary election, 2000
Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus on 15 October 2000, with further rounds of voting on 29 October, 18 March and 1 April. The vast majority of successful candidates, 94 of 110, were independents. Voter turnout was reported to be 61.08%....
under the aegis of OSCE. YCSU supported the decision of majority of democratic organizations to take an active part in campaign of boycott of the unfree and undemocratic "parliamentary elections".
2001. at the time of Prsidential elections
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:...
in Belarus YCSU formed a "Peramenaw!" (For Changes) coalition with other youth organisations, including Young Front, the Association of Belarusian Students, the Association of Young Entrepreneurs, Young Hramada, the UCP Youth, the Belarusian Association of Young Politicians. YSCU activists took part in work in headquarters, independent observation, and mobilization campaigns. YSCU supported Aliaksandr Yaroshuk and Vladimir Goncharik
2003. Active participation in local elections (as candidates, volunteers and managers). A number of members of the organization became the deputies of the local councils in cities including Mogilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
, Rogachev and others.
2006. During Prsidential elections
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...
YCSU Young Democrats supported Milinkevich as a single opposition candidate for the 2006 Presidential election. After the election results were broadcasted, YCSU Young Democrats took an active part in Jeans Revolution
Jeans Revolution
The Jeans Revolution was a term used by the democratic opposition in Belarus and their supporters in the West to describe their effort and aspirations as regarding democratic changes in Belarus at the presidential elections of 2006...
. 10 members of YCSU Young Democrats were arrested when police attacked tent camp erected on October Square in Minsk.
2008. At Parliamentary elections
Belarusian parliamentary election, 2008
The Belarusian parliamentary election, 2008 was held in Belarus on 28 September 2008. The 110 seats in the House of Representatives were at stake....
YCSU Young Democrats had 3 candidates in the united list
United Democratic Forces of Belarus
The United Democratic Forces of Belarus is a coalition of political parties participating as the main opposition group during the 2006 presidential election...
of 110 oppositional candidates. Aliaksandr Shumkevich in Maladzyechna
Maladzyechna
Maladzyechna , is a city in the Minsk Voblast of Belarus, an administrative centre of the Maladzyechna district . It has 98,514 inhabitants and is located 72 km northwest of Minsk. Located on the Usha River, it has been a settlement since 1388 when it was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania...
, Anna Yhorava 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...
, Artur Tsurbakou in Gomel. But according to the official results the oppositional parties failed to gain any of the 110 available seats, all of which were given to parties and non-partisan candidates loyal to president 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...
.
Aliaksandr Shumkevich received 5566 votes, 10,39% of all votes in Maladzyechna
2009 YCSU Young Democrats was amongst the founders of Belarusian Independence Bloc
Belarusian Independence Bloc
The Belarusian Independence Bloc one of Belarus’ three major opposition coalitions, was formed in 2009 as an alternative to UDF coalition in Belarus...
.
Since its establishment, numerous activists of YCSU Young Democrats were arrested and inprisoned by Belarus police and KGB because of their political activeness.
The main goal of YCSU Young Democrats is the preparation of a new generation of policymakers in Belarus.
Current Board
Aliaksandr Shumkevich - chairmanArtur Tsurbakou - deputy chairman
Aliaksandr Kuushunau - international secretary