State system and form of government in Belarus

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

The state is the most complex of all mechanisms created by mankind. In order for it to function properly and not fail, it is necessary to have certain control levers. One of these is the creation of a system of government. This article will introduce the reader to the form of government and the state structure of Belarus.

Basic Law

The current Constitution of the Republic was adopted by referendum in March 1994, and acquired legal force two weeks later - March 30.

The basis of this legal act was the draft Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993.

The adopted document functioned unchanged for more than two years. But over time, some provisions came into conflict with the current realities. We are talking about the scope of powers that the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus was initially vested with. For example, he could change the provisions of the Constitution, call elections and referendums, determinemilitary doctrine, as well as to elect the highest officials of the republic: the chairman of the National Bank, the chairman of the Control Chamber, the prosecutor general.

The President and the government, represented by the Cabinet of Ministers, were endowed with very limited powers (this is evidenced even by the absence of a separate chapter on the role and powers of the Cabinet of Ministers in the document).

In 1996, another political crisis overtook the country, caused by disagreements between the Supreme Council of the Republic and President A. G. Lukashenko (elected back in 1994). It was on his initiative that at the end of November 1996 a referendum was held, as a result of which the form of government of Belarus from a parliamentary republic turned into a parliamentary-presidential one. The powers of the prime minister - the head of government - were significantly expanded. For example, now he could appoint the highest officials of the republic, which were discussed above.

The next change in the provisions of the Constitution occurred as a result of a referendum in 2004, also initiated by the President of the Republic. According to its results, A. G. Lukashenko received the right to participate in the presidential elections an unlimited number of times.

From that moment to the present, the form of government in Belarus has not changed.

The fundamental provisions contained in the document of the highest legal force are as follows: The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus determines the structure and functioning of the economic, political and social spheres of society, establishes the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. Consists of a preamble and 146 articles contained in 9sections.

Form of Government of the Republic of Belarus

The classical theory of state and law distinguishes several forms of government, but the most common among them are two: the monarchy and the republic. The latter can be parliamentary, presidential and mixed. It all depends on which of the state bodies has the most power.

As can be seen from the name of the state itself, the form of government of Belarus is a republic.

It is characterized by the following points:

• election of the head of state and state bodies, which completely excludes the transfer of power by inheritance;
• Citizens have a wide range of personal and political rights.

The head of the republic is the guarantor of the Constitution, as well as human rights and freedoms. In his person, the main provisions of domestic and foreign policy are implemented.

Legislative power of the Republic of Belarus

As in most countries of the world, the legislative branch of power in the republic is represented by a bicameral parliament - the National Assembly:

• The lower house (or House of Representatives), which includes 110 members. Any citizen over the age of 21 can become a deputy. A candidate must win the most votes in the constituency for which he is running (majority system). This chamber of parliament is endowed with fairly broad powers, for example, representatives can consider and adopt draft laws, and also have the right to expressvote of no confidence in the government and bring charges against the president. Curiously, the first House of Representatives included members of the Supreme Council, which was dissolved in 1996.
• The upper house of parliament (Council of the Republic) has 64 members, 56 of them are elected, and 8 members are appointed by the president. The main function of the Council is the rejection or adoption of draft laws put forward by the lower house. Thus, only really important and elaborated acts will become law. The upper house also decides to remove the president from office.

Since the form of government of Belarus is a presidential republic, the members of the National Assembly are elected by universal secret ballot for a term of 4 years.

Members of both chambers enjoy parliamentary immunity for their entire term of office.

President, his powers

The first president and almost permanent leader of the Republic of Belarus was Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko, who was elected to the post in early July 1994.

As mentioned above, the head of state did not always have such a wide range of powers as now. Before the 1996 referendum, almost all power belonged to the Supreme Council of the Republic. And only after a rather fierce political struggle, the form of government of Belarus turned from a parliamentary into a presidential one, which indicates the significant role of the head of state in public life.

Most importantpowers of the president (the full list is enshrined in a separate chapter of the Constitution):

1. Can call referendums, elections to the chambers of parliament and local representative bodies, and dissolve chambers.
2. Appoints the Prime Minister and determines the structure of government.
3. In agreement with the upper house of parliament, appoints chairmen and judges of the Supreme, Constitutional and High Economic Courts.
4. Addresses messages to the people and parliament.
5. Resolves issues of acceptance/termination of citizenship, provides asylum.
6. He is the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.

A citizen of the republic upon reaching the age of 35, who must have lived in the territory of the state for at least 10 years before the elections and have voting rights, can become president.

He is elected for a period of 5 years by all-territorial, free and equal voting.

Executive and judicial branches of government of the republic

The executive power in the country is represented by the government - the Council of Ministers under the leadership of the Prime Minister. Thanks to the form of government enshrined in the Constitution in the Republic of Belarus, all members are appointed by the president. Since 2014, A. V. Kobyakov has held this position as Prime Minister.

The government coordinates the work and is responsible for the activities of ministries, committees and departments subordinate to it.

Article 107 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus regulates the activities of the Councilministers:

1. Development of domestic and foreign policy doctrines, their implementation.
2. Developing the country's budget, providing the president with a report on its execution.
3. Carrying out a unified financial, economic, credit and state policy in all spheres of life.

As elsewhere, the judiciary in the Republic of Belarus is implemented according to the principles of territoriality and specialization through the courts.

The judicial system is represented by the following links: courts of first instance (city and district), regional courts, Minsk City Court, Supreme and Constitutional Courts of the Republic, economic courts.

Political parties

The presidential form of government in the Republic of Belarus allows you to have a party system. There are few parties, they do not take an active part in the political life of the state. This is partly due to the policy developed by the state in relation to non-profit organizations: back in 2011, a provision appeared in the country's Criminal Code providing for liability for their use of foreign financial assistance.

According to sources, today there are more than a dozen political parties in Belarus, some of which support the official policy of the state:

• Communist Party of Belarus;
• Belarusian Agrarian Party;
• Belarusian Social and Sports Party;
• Republican Party;
• Belarusian Party of Labor and Justice;
• Belarusian Patriotic Party.

Part ofthey do not support the policies of the incumbent:

• Fair World Party;
• Green Party;
• Conservative Christian Party;
• United Civil Party;
• Party "Belarusian Popular Front";
• Hramada Party (Social Democratic).

There are still constructive opposition parties:

• Social Democratic Party of People's Consent;
• Liberal Democratic Party.

Local government

The state system of Belarus involves the organization of local government. In 2010, the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Local Government and Self-Government of the Republic of Belarus" was adopted, which laid down the basic principles for organizing local government.

The main element of local government is local councils. They are divided into three levels:

• Primary, which includes settlement, village and city (district subordination) councils.
• Basic, includes city (regional subordination) and district councils.
• Regional, it includes regional councils.

Existing local governments are responsible for economic and social policy in their territorial units, adopt the budget and report on its implementation.

Government Security Administration

The State Security Committee (KGB) was established in 1991 after the reorganization of the KGB of the BSSR, andits main task is to protect the state and constitutional system of the republic. The KGB consists of several departments: intelligence, counterintelligence, organized crime, etc.

Its main tasks are:

• defending the territorial integrity of the country;
• informing the head of state about the state of national security;
• help other bodies in the development of the republic;
• foreign intelligence organization;
• fight against terrorist and other types of threats;
• organization of measures to protect state secrets and others.

The article examined what form of government in Belarus and described the state structure of the country. We can say that the republic has retained many elements of the Soviet system. This form of government (presidential republic) gives the country visible advantages. These include the stability and effectiveness of government, because it is the president who determines the political direction of the state. At the same time, management is centralized.