National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus

National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus

Нацыянальны сход Рэспублікі Беларусь
Национальное собрание Республики Беларусь
National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
HousesCouncil of the Republic
House of Representatives
History
Founded11 November 1996
Preceded bySupreme Council of Belarus
Structure
Seats174 members
110 representatives
64 councilors
Council of the Republic political groups
Government (64)
  •   Belaya Rus (16)
  •   Communist Party (1)
  •   Independent (47)
House of Representatives political groups
Government (91)

Support (19)

Elections
Indirect election by regional assemblies, Appointment by the President of the Republic
First-past-the-post
6 January 1997
15 October 2000
4 April 2024
25 February 2024
Meeting place
Government House, Minsk
Website
house.gov.by
sovrep.gov.by

53°53′46″N 27°32′41.2″E / 53.89611°N 27.544778°E / 53.89611; 27.544778

The National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus (Belarusian: Нацыянальны сход Рэспублікі Беларусь, romanized: Nacyjanalny schod Respubliki Bielaruś; Russian: Национальное собрание Республики Беларусь, romanized: Natsionalnoye sobran'ye Respubliki Belarus') is the rubber-stamp[1] bicameral parliament of Belarus. The two chambers of the National Assembly are:

While each chamber has specific duties, both chambers have the ability to veto the decrees of local administrations that deviate from the Constitution of Belarus. The chambers of the National Assembly are convened to two regular sessions every year: the first session opens 2 October and its duration cannot be more than 80 days; the second session opens 2 April and does not last more than 90 days.

The House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic may be convened to an extraordinary session. Extraordinary sessions are convened under a particular agenda upon an initiative of the President or upon a request of at least two-thirds majority of the full membership of each of the chambers.[2] Any bill must be initially considered in the House of Representatives and then in the Council of the Republic.

In practice, the National Assembly has no real power. The Belarusian political system concentrates all governing power in the hands of President Alexander Lukashenko. Notably, the National Assembly has no control over government spending; according to the Constitution, any bill that increases or decreases spending can only be considered with presidential permission. Presidential decrees have greater weight than ordinary legislation. Belarusian elections are recognized as not free and fair, with the National Assembly dominated by regime loyalists in a political system reminiscent of that of the Soviet Union.[3][4]

Its predecessors were the Supreme Council of Belarus (until 1996) and, before that, the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (until 1991).

Notes

  1. ↑ The Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus asserts that it is an opposition party, but de facto supports the presidency of Alexander Lukashenko.

References

  1. ↑ "Belarus: Freedom in the World 2026 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 2026-08-21.
  2. ↑ "Парламент – Национальное собрание Республики Беларусь". www.pravo.by. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Andrew (6 December 2011). Belarus: The Last European Dictatorship. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300134353.
  4. ↑ "Why Does Europe Engage With Belarus's Rubber Stamp Parliament?". Archived from the original on 2017-07-26. Retrieved 2016-08-25.
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