Elections in Belarus Called a Disappointment by Observers
By Lauren Crook
October 2, 2008 | Printer Friendly

Belarus’s September 28th parliamentary elections have been called “undemocratic” and “a disappointment” by The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as Terry Davis, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. “Lack of transparency of the vote count and falsification of results” were the most common accusations, although there were also charges that the distribution of vodka and champagne at polling sites led to “some people leaving the polling station completely drunk after spending a few hours there,” possibly influencing their decision.

Belarus, run under a self-proclaimed “authoritarian” rule since President Alyaksandr Lukashenko’s election in 1994, has been called “Europe’s last dictatorship.” After the last parliamentary election in Belarus four years ago where the opposition wasn’t even allowed to run, many countries including Canada and the United States have imposed sanctions and restricted contact and trade since then, hoping their actions would encourage Lukashenko to take more steps toward democracy. This did work to a degree, motivating some democratic progress including “the release of high-profile political prisoners” and “minor improvements in the electoral process” such as allowing the opposition to campaign and allowing foreigners to watch. Realizing that their “over-reliance on neighboring Russia” provides them with very limited options if their friendly neighbor ever decides to recoil, Belarus has attempted in the last several years to improve relations with the West.

Moscow News reports that this election was imperative to Lukashenko, given that the U.S. and the European Union promised to observe the elections very closely and consider lifting sanctions if they deemed that there had been significant efforts made to ensure a more democratic, politically competitive electoral environment. Observers from OSCE and from the U.S. both agreed though, that “the poll fell short of democratic standards.” 70 out of the 273 candidates running for 110 parliamentary seats were from the opposition party; however Lidiya Yermoshina, the head of the Belarus elections commission, told journalists that “no one from the opposition has made it into parliament.” Yermoshina suggested that the results were as such because people were “afraid to lose what they have” and were unwilling to “disrupt their calm, comfortable existence” by risking such a radical change that the election of the opposition could bring.

The leader of the opposition United Civil Party urged the U.S. and EU "not to recognize the results of the election,” claiming that “there was no election in Belarus” and that “it was an electoral farce for the West.” Lukashenko told OSCE observers however, that the elections were “conducted in line with Belarusian law” and that now “Belarus expects Europe to lift sanctions which have offended us.”

References:

Associated Press: EU, US mustn’t recognize Belarus Vote

Council of Europe secretary general expresses disappointment at Belarus’ elections

Monitors slam Belarus election

Elections in Belarus – not much transparency, but plenty of biscuits, vodka and champagne

Canada Concerned over Conduct of Belarus Elections