Belarus parliament elections

MINSK, 25 August (BelTA) – This year’s election campaign in Belarus is more active and interesting than that of the previous parliamentary elections, Sergei Musiyenko, Head of EcooM Analytical Center, told BelTA.

The expert pointed out that election campaigning in Belarus is taking on new interesting forms. Promotional billboards are one of them. In their election programs, the candidates attempt to address day-to-day problems of their electoral districts. There are many campaigning events in the streets. The candidates meet with voters and organizations. All this makes the election campaign more active and engaging, Sergei Musiyenko explained.

As many as 21 candidates have withdrawn from the race at the campaigning stage. Sergei Musiyenko said that, on the one hand, this may point to the use of election technologies, when candidates who initially joined the race as ‘backup pilots’ of stronger candidates drop out of the elections. “On the other hand, it is possible that some of these candidates have reconsidered their chances and realized that they have no desire to continue. Reassessment of one’s chances and capabilities is the reason behind some of the withdrawals. This is also a good thing, as this helps weed out those candidates who, if elected, will not know what they are doing in the parliament,” the expert noted.

The election campaign in Belarus will run through 10 September. A total of 504 candidates stand in the elections to the House of Representatives scheduled for 11 September.