The Belarus Parliament

The Belarus Parliament

An overview of the formation and function of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus

The Parliament of Belarus is known as the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus. It acts as the representative and legislative body of the Republic of Belarus.

The Belarus Parliament consists of 2 chambers:

• the House of Representatives
• the Council of the Republic

The House meets for 2 regular sessions every year. Extraordinary sessions can be called by a presidential decree.

In Belarus, Parliament serves a 4-year term.

The House of Representatives

Belarus’ House of Representatives consists of 110 deputies, all elected by the people of Belarus.

Deputies must be citizens of Belarus and at least 21 years old. They may also be a member of the Belarus government, but cannot serve simultaneously on the Council of the Republic.

The role of the House of Representatives is to:

• consider draft legislation
• run the presidential elections
• approve the President’s nomination for the post of Prime Minister
• approve or oppose the Government’s activities
• propose no-confidence votes where necessary

The Council of the Republic

Belarus’ Council of the Republic is a regional representative body with 64 members.

Local Councils elect a total of 56 members: 8 in each region and 8 in Minsk. The Belarusian President selects the final 8 members.

In order to qualify as a deputy, candidates must be:

• at least 30 years old
• resident in the relevant region of Belarus for at least 5 years

The main role of the Council of the Republic is to approve or decline draft legislation that has been approved by the House of Representatives.

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