2001 Belarusian presidential election explained

Country:Belarus
Flag Year:1995
Type:presidential
Previous Election:1994 Belarusian presidential election
Previous Year:1994
Next Election:2006 Belarusian presidential election
Next Year:2006
Election Date:9 September 2001
Turnout:83.86%
Image1:Alexander Lukashenko 2 April 2001-3.jpg
Party1:Independent politician
Popular Vote1:4,666,680
Percentage1:77.39%
Nominee2:Uładzimir Hančaryk
Party2:Independent politician
Popular Vote2:965,261
Percentage2:16.01%
President
Before Election:Alexander Lukashenko
After Election:Alexander Lukashenko
Before Party:Independent politician
After Party:Independent politician

Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 9 September 2001.[1] The election should have been held in 1999, but a revised constitution adopted in 1996 extended incumbent Alexander Lukashenko's term for another two years.

Lukashenko was re-elected with 77.4% of the vote over two minor candidates. Voter turnout was 84%.[2] A senior official for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe noted that the pre-election environment was "not democratic" and would not describe it as "free and fair".[3]

Notes and References

  1. [Dieter Nohlen]
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p262
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1534621.stm Belarus vote 'neither free nor fair'