2004 Belarusian parliamentary election

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.[1][2] The vast majority of successful candidates, 97 of 109, were independents.[3] Voter turnout was reported to be 91.04% in the first round.[2]

2004 Belarusian parliamentary election

17 October 2004
All 110 seats in the House of Representatives
Turnout	91.04%
First party Second party   Party Communist Agrarian Last election 6 seats 5 seats Seats won 8 3 Seat change 2 2   Third party Fourth party   Party LDP Independents Last election 1 seat 94 seats Seats won 1 98 Seat change None 4

A total of 359 candidates contested the election, with oppositing parties claiming that around 40% of their candidates were not registered.[2] The OCSE delegation noted that although all candidates were given a set amount of free television and radio airtime and a free statement in the national press, over 80% of television news time was dedicated to President Alexander Lukashenko in the five weeks before the election. They also noted concerns about the independence of the Electoral Commission and a lack of transparency during the voting and counting process.[2] The government also closed down nine independent newspapers in the lead-up to the elections.[2]

Results

Party		Round									Total seats	+/–
		First			Second			Third
		Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
	Communist Party of Belarus	334,383	5.49	8			0			0	8	+2
	BPF Party	200,033	3.33	0			0	5,673	14.22	0	0	New
	Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly)	173,129	2.83	0			0	4,802	12.04	0	0	0
	People's Coalition 5 Plus	160,011	2.62	0			0			0	0	0
	Agrarian Party	145,004	2.38	3			0			0	3	–2
	Liberal Democratic Party	122,605	2.01	1			0			0	1	0
	Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Assembly)	59,892	0.98	1			0			0	1	+1
	Republican Party	28,179	0.46	0			0			0	0	0
	Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord	22,441	0.37	0			0			0	0	New
	Independents	4,843,959	79.46	96	34,567	100.00	1	26,059	65.33	1	98	+4
Invalid/blank votes		201,462	–	–		–	–		–	–	–	–
Total valid votes		6,297,600		108	34,567		1			1	110	0
Source: Nohlen, IPU, Центризбирком

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p252 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Belarus: Elections held in 2004 Inter-Parliamentary Union
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p261