On Sunday, polling stations across Belarus opened for a multi‑level vote that will determine the composition of the National Assembly, the All‑Belarusian People’s Assembly and local councils. Voters received ballots that featured four parties loyal to President Alexander Lukashenko; no opposition parties appeared on the list.
The absence of any anti‑government candidates has become the focal point of criticism from the Belarusian opposition. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for a nationwide boycott, arguing that an election lacking competing parties cannot be considered legitimate. She highlighted the restrictive political climate in the country, where dissent is routinely suppressed and international monitors routinely flag human‑rights violations. Belarusian law permits only the four pro‑government parties to contest the current vote.
Consequently, the electorate can either select among these sanctioned options or abstain from voting altogether. Tsikhanouskaya’s appeal to stay home has not been met with a response from the authorities, and the election timetable remains unchanged.
The body at stake, the National Assembly, is a bicameral legislature composed of the Council of the Republic and the House of Representatives. Both chambers possess the power to veto local decrees that conflict with the Constitution and convene for regular sessions twice a year. While the Assembly is not merely symbolic, questions arise about its representativeness when all seats are filled by candidates approved by the ruling administration.
In parallel to the official vote, Tsikhanouskaya announced plans to hold elections for a Coordination Council in May. The council is intended to serve as an alternative platform for opposition voices, providing a counterweight to the government‑controlled institutions.
This initiative is presented as a direct response to the exclusion of opposition parties from the February‑25 ballot. Human‑rights organizations have repeatedly documented a pattern of crackdowns on activists, journalists and ordinary citizens who voice criticism of the regime. The current election, conducted without any opposition participation, fits within that broader trend and further undermines the perceived credibility of the process from its outset.
As polls closed, voters who entered the booths left with ballots that offered no genuine choice beyond the four state‑aligned parties. Those who followed Tsikhanouskaya’s call for a boycott simply did not cast a vote.
The government has not altered the candidate list or opened the door to opposition participation, and the election is proceeding as scheduled. After the vote, the newly elected members will occupy seats in the National Assembly, the All‑Belarusian People’s Assembly and the various local councils, all expected to align with the ruling administration. Observers note that the lack of opposition representation raises doubts about the ability of these bodies to reflect the broader interests of the Belarusian populace.
The upcoming Coordination Council election in May will be closely watched as a test of whether an alternative political process can operate within Belarus and how the authorities will respond to such an initiative. In the meantime, the February election offers only a single, government‑approved option for voters, underscoring the ongoing controversy surrounding Belarus’s electoral landscape.
