Country: | Belarus |
Type: | parliamentary |
Flag Year: | 1995 |
Previous Election: | 2000 |
Next Election: | 2008 |
Seats For Election: | All 110 seats in the House of Representatives |
Majority Seats: | 56 |
Turnout: | 90.14% |
Election Date: | 17 October 2004 (first round) 27 October 2004 (second round) 20 March 2005 (third round) |
Party1: | Communist Party of Belarus |
Percentage1: | 5.49 |
Last Election1: | 6 |
Seats1: | 8 |
Leader2: | Mikhail Shimansky |
Party2: | Belarusian Agrarian Party |
Percentage2: | 2.38 |
Last Election2: | 5 |
Seats2: | 3 |
Leader3: | Sergei Gaidukevich |
Party3: | Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus |
Percentage3: | 2.01 |
Last Election3: | 1 |
Seats3: | 1 |
Leader5: | – |
Party5: | Independents |
Percentage5: | 76.16 |
Last Election5: | 94 |
Seats5: | 98 |
Speaker of the House of Representatives | |
Before Party: | Independent (politician) |
After Party: | Independent (politician) |
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] The vast majority of successful candidates, 98 of 110, were independents. Voter turnout was reported to be 90% in the first round.[2]
A total of 359 candidates contested the election, with opposing 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]