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Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 23 June 1994, with a second round on 10 July.[1] 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.[2]
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 government. 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.
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.
Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kebich's campaign was bolstered by the apparat of the Supreme Council, but his initial popular support dwindled following excessive coverage of his candidacy in government-sponsored media.[3] This controversy, in addition to widespread dissatisfaction with his economic reforms,[4] 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.[3]
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.[3]
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.[5] His populist agenda outlined price stabilization, independence of the National Bank, and government austerity programs. 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.[3] 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.[6]
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.[3]
Conduct
During the election, Lukashenko claimed that he had been the target of a failed assassination attempt.[3] This claim was disputed by the Belarusian KGB despite police reports detailing an attempted car ramming of Lukashenko's vehicle followed by gunshots.[7]
After the first round, both Interfax and Agence France-Presse reported that a grenade had been thrown at the Belarusian secretary for national security.[3]
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.[3] 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.
On 20 July Lukashenko was inaugurated as President of Belarus. In 1995 referendum resulted in Lukashenko gaining the power to dissolve the legislature. In 1996 another referendum dramatically increased his powers, and also extended his original five-year term to 2001. As a result, the 1994 presidential election is considered the only free election held in Belarus since it broke away from the Soviet Union.[8][9]
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