Republic

Around 25,500 candidates in local elections in Belarus

MINSK, 17 March (BelTA) – Around 25,500 candidates will be vying for the seats on the local councils of deputies of the 26th convocation, Lydia Yermoshina, chairperson of the central election commission of Belarus, told a press conference on 17 March. Commenting on the nominations, Lydia Yermoshina said that 1.2 candidates will be contesting one seat in the local elections in Belarus. This is higher than in the elections in 1999, 2003 and 2007. More candidates have been nominated to the rural councils of deputies, Lydia Yermoshina stated. “The number of nominations to the rural councils exceeds the number of seats by 2,000, though earlier these councils were not popular among candidates,” Lidya Yermoshina said. According to her, more candidates seek seats on councils in Minsk and major cities as compared with the previous elections in 2007. Yet this figure is lower than in 2003. An average of 5.4 candidates will contest one seat in one electoral district in Minsk (4.3 in 2007 and 5.5 in 2003). The number of nominations to other councils (rural, regional, town) remains on the level of 2007. For example, there are 1.8 candidates per one seat in oblast elections, 1.3 in regional, 2.1 in town, and 1.1 candidates in rural local elections. Collection of signatures remains the most popular form of nomination, Lidya Yermoshina said. Some 60% candidates have used this form of nomination, 35.2% candidates have been fielded by labor collectives. Young people under 30 account for 6.3% of all candidates (7% in 2007), women for 44.6% (the same as in previous elections), unemployed for 2.7%. Twenty-nine Russian citizens seek a place on councils of deputies (the same as in 2007).

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