1990 Byelorussian Supreme Soviet election explained

Country:Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic
Flag Year:1951
Previous Election:1985 Belarusian Supreme Soviet election
Previous Year:1985
Next Election:1995 Belarusian parliamentary election
Next Year:1995
Type:parliamentary
Turnout:86.5% (first round)
Election Date:March–May 1990
Party1:Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Image1:3x4.svg
Leader1:Mikalay Dzyemyantsyey
Party2:BPF
Colour2:FF0000
Leader2:Zianon Pazniak

Parliamentary elections were held in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1990 to elect the twelfth Supreme Council. A total of 1,473 candidates contested the 310 seats,[1] while a further 50 members were appointed by organizations of veterans and invalids. However, by the time of the first meeting of the Supreme Council, only 278 of the 310 elected seats were filled.

Results

In the first round of voting on 4 March 98 deputies were elected, with voter turnout at 86.5%.[1] A second round on 17–18 March saw a further 131 deputies were elected. However, this was still below the quorum of 240. By-elections were subsequently held on 22 April (18 districts) and 5 May (63 districts) resulting in a further 38 deputies being elected. An additional eleven were elected in second rounds held between 10 and 14 May, taking the total number of elected deputies to 278, in addition to the 50 appointed deputies.[2]

Further members were later elected, although thirteen seats were never filled.[3]

The Belarusian Popular Front (BNF) won around 25–37 seats (different figures are given as not all of the elected members were formally members of the BNF).[3] By the start of 1991 the Communists had broken into several factions; the main Communist Party group had 170 members, with 40 in the affiliated Agrarian group, 35 in the affiliated Industrialists group, and 30 in a hardline "Union" group. The BNF faction had 27 members.[3]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Politics of Transition: Shaping a Post-Soviet Future. Stephen White, Graeme J. Gill & Darrell Slider. 1993. 32.
  2. News: What was the Belarusian parliament quarter of a century ago? The Supreme Council of XII convocation, 1990-1995. Nasha Niva. 26 May 2015. 3 December 2016.
  3. Book: Belarus: The Last European Dictatorship. 2011. Andrew Wilson.