1994 Belarusian presidential election

none gov September 2022 gov May 2023 Belarus 1991 presidential 2001 Belarusian presidential election 2001 23 June 1994 (first round)10 July 1994 (second round) Alexander_Lukashenko_Signing_Treaty_on_Establishing_Russian-Belarusian_Union_(cropped).jpg Alexander Lukashenko Independent politician 4,241,026 80.61% Vyacheslav Kebich 1991 (cropped).jpg Vyacheslav Kebich Independent politician 748,329 14.22% Belarus 1994 first round.svg First round results President Alexander Lukashenko Independent politician 78.97% (first round) 70.60% (second round) Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 23 June 1994, with a second round on 10 July.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p252 978-3-8329-5609-7 They were the first national elections held in Belarus since the country seceded from the Soviet Union three years earlier. The result was an overwhelming victory for Alexander Lukashenko, who received 81% of the vote in the second round. Voter turnout was 79% in the first round and 71% in the second.Nohlen & Stöver, p262 Background On 15 March 1994, the Supreme Council adopted the Constitution of Belarus, which made Belarus a democracy with a presidential system. Until the ratification of the constitution, Chairman of the Supreme Council Myechyslaw Hryb had effectively ruled as both the head of state and head of the parliament. The Constitution set the age requirement for presidential candidates at 35 and demanded at least 10 years of residency in the Republic of Belarus. Candidates could be proposed by 70 members of the Supreme Council, provided they also gathered 100,000 public signatures. For an election to be legitimate, it needed at least 50% voter participation and was conducted using a two-round system.Конституция Республики Беларусь 15 марта 1994 г. N 2875-XII http://www.zakanadaustva.narod.ru/constitution1994.html https://web.archive.org/web/20051229020044/http://www.zakanadaustva.narod.ru/constitution1994.html 29 December 2005 Chapter 4 articles 96-97 ru Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, March 15, 1994, No. 2875-XII On 6 April the Central Commission of the Republic of Belarus for Elections and Referendums established a timeline for the first presidential election, which outlined the role of local initiative groups in nominating candidates. Electoral system The president of Belarus is elected using the two-round system. If no candidate obtains over 50% of the vote, a second round is held with the top two candidates. The winner of the second round is elected. A turnout quorum of 50% is applied. Candidates Six candidates who were recognized by the government to have received the most signatures from Belarusian citizens and to have received substantial support from initiative group members became eligible to contest the first round. Candidate Party Position PledgesPledges received from initiative group members Signatures Vyacheslav Kebich Independent Prime Minister of Belarus 3,920 371,967 Zianon Pazniak Belarusian Popular Front Head of the Belarusian Popular Front 2,734 216,855 Vasily Novikov (politician) be Васіль Мікалаевіч Новікаў Vasily Novikov Party of Belarusian Communists Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party of Belarusian Communists 3,041 183,836 Alexander Lukashenko Independent Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Supreme Council 156,391 Stanislav Shushkevich Independent Former Chairman of the Supreme Council 1,420 123,552 Alaksandar Dubko Belarusian Agrarian Party Chairman of the Union of Agrarians 2,901 116,693 Campaign Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kebich's campaign was bolstered by the apparat of the Supreme Council and open support from Russia,10 July 1994 Erlanger Steven Voting Today In Ukraine And Belarus https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/10/world/voting-today-in-ukraine-and-belarus.html New York Times 17 June 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20220306103359/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/10/world/voting-today-in-ukraine-and-belarus.html 6 March 2022 Mr. Kebich, 59, seems stunned by the popular anger and, like Mr. Kuchma in Ukraine, has found little benefit from Moscow's open political support but his initial popular support dwindled following excessive coverage of his candidacy in government-sponsored media.Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe July 1994 Report on the Belarusian Presidential Election https://www.csce.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Report-on-the-Belarusian-Presidential-Election-1994.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20250301115233/https://www.csce.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Report-on-the-Belarusian-Presidential-Election-1994.pdf 1 March 2025 This controversy, in addition to widespread dissatisfaction with his economic reforms, contributed to his defeat in the second round of voting. Zianon Pazniak, the head of the Belarusian Popular Front, was the strongest proponent of a free-market economy out of all of the candidates. His support for a revitalized Belarusian identity that centered around the primary of the Belarusian culture and language led some opponents to criticize him for being too nationalistic. Vasily Novikov, the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party of Belarusian Communists, advocated for a return to collectivization and an end to the process of privatization that had begun following Belarusian independence from the Soviet Union. Alexander Lukashenko released his campaign platform entitled "To Lead the People Away from the Abyss" on 14 June in the Narodnaya Gazeta, the state newspaper that was run by the Supreme Council.2014-07-22 Двадцать лет назад Лукашенко впервые принес присягу на верность белорусскому народу http://news.tut.by/politics/407674.html 2024-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140722044420/http://news.tut.by/politics/407674.html 2014-07-22 His populist agenda outlined price stabilization, independence of the National Bank, and government austerity programs. A central promise of his campaign was to crush high-level corruption. Responding to criticism that he had no candidates for the position of Prime Minister, he reportedly stated that it was "easier than finding a milkman".Populist in Belarus Sweeps To a Presidential Victory https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/11/world/populist-in-belarus-sweeps-to-a-presidential-victory.html/ 17 June 2025 New York Times Reuters 11 July 1994 https://web.archive.org/web/20250125163332/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/11/world/populist-in-belarus-sweeps-to-a-presidential-victory.html/ 25 January 2025 He also described a system of guaranteed welfare for vulnerable citizens that would be supported by progressive taxation. Regarding his foreign policy positions, Lukashenko expressed his desire to improve the international standing of Belarus, as well as to restore ties with Russia and Ukraine. Stanislav Shushkevich, the former Chairman of the Supreme Council, centered his campaign around his role in achieving Belarusian independence from the Soviet Union and subsequent reforms despite substantial communist opposition in the Supreme Council. He also expressed his support for a reduction in the state's role in moderating the economy. Prior to his tenure as Chairman, Shushkevich had also been a vocal critic of the Soviet Union's response to the Chernobyl disaster and its effects on Belarus.Genzlinger Neil May 4, 2022 Stanislav Shushkevich, First Leader of Post-Soviet Belarus, Dies at 87 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/06/world/europe/stanislav-shushkevich-dead.html The New York Times Alaksandar Dubko, the Chairman of the Union of Agrarians, was vocal in his support for collectivization in order to appeal to both agrarians and the peasantry. Opinion polls According to a poll conducted by Eridan a week prior to the election, Lukashenko was predicted to lead with 21%, with Kebich at 17.3%, Pozniak at 11.6%, and Shushkevich at 9.9%. Opinion polls conducted by NOVAK:Vardomatsky Andrei P :be:Андрэй Пятровіч Вардамацкі Выборы первого президента Белоруссии http://ecsocman.edu.ru/images/pubs/2006/03/09/0000272381/005Vardomatskij.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20080731041353/http://ecsocman.edu.ru/images/pubs/2006/03/09/0000272381/005Vardomatskij.pdf 31 July 2008 ru 1995 Elections of the First President of Belarus + Pollster Date Lukashenko Kebich Pazniak Shushkevich Dubko Novikov Second round 10 July 80.6% 14.2% NOVAK 27 June – 5 July 53.8% 18.6% First round 23 June 45.8% 17.7% 13.1% 10.1% 6.1% 4.4% NOVAK 10 – 18 June 24.8% 20.6% 9,5% 11.6% 5.8% 5.4% NOVAK 3 – 9 June 21.3% 21.8% 11.9% 13.1% 1.7% 5.8% NOVAK 7 April – 3 May 28.0% 15.1% 5.5% 10.2% A poll conducted by Belarusian pollster NISEPI several months after the elections indicated that Lukashenko secured 80% of the vote in the second round among those who participated in the election. During the first round, his support was at 44.6% among Belarusian speakers and 27.6% among Russian speakers.Manaev 2006 46-47 + Calculated based on NISEPI post-election pollManaev 2006 92-94 Demographic subgroup Dubko/Kebich/Novikov Lukashenko Pozniak/Shushkevich % of total vote Total vote 25 42 34 100 Gender Men 24 43 33 46 Women 25 41 34 54 Age 18–30 years old 24 33 43 27 30–50 years old 30 35 35 36 50 and older 20 53 27 36Educational attainment Less than general secondary 20 57 23 33 General secondary 27 40 33 30 Vocational or higher 27 29 44 37 Region City of Minsk 20 27 53 17 Minsk 35 39 35 16 Brest 17 50 32 15 Grodno 28 36 36 10 Vitebsk 32 42 26 14 Mogilev 22 49 29 11 Gomel 16 57 27 16 Area type Capital 20 27 53 17 Oblast center 29 33 38 19 >50,000 pop. 44 37 19 10 <50,000 pop. 27 39 34 18 Rural 20 54 26 36 Self-assessment of one's financial situation Poor/below average 23 36 31 66 Average 29 33 38 30 Better than average 19 29 53 4 Which economic system is preferable for Belarus? Capitalism 21 23 56 35 Socialism 27 55 18 53 Other 25 29 46 12 Conduct During the election, Lukashenko claimed that he had been the target of a failed assassination attempt. This claim was disputed by the Belarusian KGB despite police reports detailing an attempted car ramming of Lukashenko's vehicle followed by gunshots.Presidential candidate shot on in Belarus - UPI Archives https://www.upi.com/Archives/1994/06/17/Presidential-candidate-shot-on-in-Belarus/6676771825600/ 2024-09-14 UPI en After the first round, both Interfax and Agence France-Presse reported that a grenade had been thrown at the Belarusian secretary for national security. Results Alexander Lukashenko Independent 2646140 4241026 Vyacheslav Kebich Independent 1023174 748329 Zianon Pazniak Belarusian Popular Front 757195 #9F1600 Stanislav Shushkevich Independent 585143 Alaksandar Dubko Belarusian Agrarian Party 353119 Vasily Novikov (politician) be Васіль Мікалаевіч Новікаў Vasily Novikov Party of Belarusian Communists 253009 Against all 165023 271783 121509 17193 7476586 7476205 Nohlen & Stöver Results by region First round Region Lukashenko Kebich Pazniak Shushkevich Dubko Novikov Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Brest 477,969 53.47% 123,862 13.86% 104,779 11.72% 77,735 8.70% 47,403 5.30% 28,347 3.17% Vitebsk 387079 45.96% 162,751 19.32% 79,235 9.41% 59,967 7.12% 56,569 6.72% 50,146 5.95% Gomel 407813 45.57% 206,574 23.08% 56,607 6.33% 76,869 8.59% 46,101 5.15% 44,645 4.99% Grodno 257,743 36.31% 103,555 14.59% 150,581 21.21% 73,694 10.38% 63,972 9.01% 23,227 3.27% Minsk 433,037 44.46% 145,362 14.93% 149,412 15.34% 84,211 8.65% 77,133 7.92% 41,789 4.29% Mogilev 451,453 63.01% 121,583 16.97% 33,495 4.68% 27,434 3.83% 31,362 4.38% 25,312 3.53% City of Minsk 230,914 26.48% 159,049 18.24% 182,896 20.98% 184,923 21.21% 30,525 3.50% 39,490 4.53%Overseas 132 10.95% 438 36.32% 190 15.75% 310 25.70% 50 4.48% 53 4.39% Total 2,646,140 44.82% 1,023,174 17.33% 757,195 12.82% 585,143 9.91% 353,119 5.98% 253,009 4.29%Source: Central Election Commission of Belarus https://rec.gov.by/uploads/files/Calendar/archive-elections-prb1994-itogi.pdf 18 June 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20240203052146/https://rec.gov.by/uploads/files/Calendar/archive-elections-prb1994-itogi.pdf 3 February 2024 Second round Region Lukashenko Kebich Votes % Votes % Brest 707,533 84.87% 86,035 10.32% Vitebsk 617,078 80.04% 116,867 15.15% Gomel 637,223 77.40% 149,305 18.13% Grodno 517,015 80.98% 80,254 12.57% Minsk 745,112 82.38% 110,927 12.26% Mogilev 567,843 85.29% 77,522 11.64% City of Minsk 448,921 70.00% 127,114 19.82%Overseas 301 41.92% 305 42.47% Total 4,241,026 80.34% 748,329 14.17%Source: Central Election Commission of Belarus https://rec.gov.by/uploads/files/Calendar/archive-elections-prb1994-itogi.pdf 18 June 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20240203052146/https://rec.gov.by/uploads/files/Calendar/archive-elections-prb1994-itogi.pdf 3 February 2024 Maps Aftermath Lukashenko's victory was a surprise to many, as Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kebich had widely been expected to win by international observers despite extremely close polling results between the two candidates. Regardless, the outcome of the election was recognized as legitimate by the international community. Furthermore, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe expressed its view that Lukashenko's tenure as President would be a step towards a "more pluralistic democracy and free market system" in Belarus. Upon his victory, Lukashenko pledged there would be "no dictatorship."Specter Michael Belarus Winner Remakes His Image https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/17/world/belarus-winner-remakes-his-image.html?searchResultPosition=92 New York Times 17 June 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20150526104330/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/17/world/belarus-winner-remakes-his-image.html 26 May 2015 17 July 1994 He was inaugurated as president on July 20. A 1995 referendum resulted in Lukashenko gaining the power to dissolve parliament, as well as restoring modified Soviet-era state symbols and initiating closer ties with Russia. In 1996 Lukashenko began further consolidating his authority with another referendum approving reforms that dramatically increased his powers and extended his original five-year term to 2001, after which he continued to win additional terms. As a result, the 1994 presidential election is considered the only free election held in Belarus since it broke away from the Soviet Union.Why Does The “Last Dictatorship In Europe” Hold Elections? Belarus Digest, 26 March 2012Profile: Europe's last dictator? BBC News, 10 September 2001 Notes References Bibliography Manaev Oleg Президентские выборы в Беларуси: от ограниченной демократии к неограниченному авторитаризму (1994 – 2006) 2006 Vilnius http://www.iiseps.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PresidentElection.pdf 16 June 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250614164435/http://www.iiseps.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PresidentElection.pdf 14 June 2025 ru Presidential Elections in Belarus: From Limited Democracy to Unlimited Authoritarianism (1994 – 2006) Category:Presidential elections in Belarus Belarus President