The state is the most complex of all the mechanisms created by mankind. In order for it to function properly and not to malfunction, it is necessary to have certain levers of control. 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 system of Belarus.
The basic Law
The current Constitution of the republic was adopted at a referendum in March 1994, and acquired legal force two weeks later - on March 30.
The basis of this normative legal act was the draft Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993.
The adopted document has functioned unchanged for more than two years. But over time, some provisions came into conflict with current realities. We are talking about the scope of authority with which the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus was originally vested. For example, he could amend the provisions of the Constitution, appoint elections and referenda, determine the military doctrine, and also 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 (even the absence of a separate chapter in the document on the role and powers of the Cabinet of Ministers indicates this).
In 1996, the country was overtaken by another political crisis, which was 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 a referendum was held at the end of November 1996, following which the form of government of Belarus turned from a parliamentary republic into a parliamentary-presidential one. The powers of the prime minister - the head of government - have been 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. Following its results, A. G. Lukashenko received the right to participate in the presidential election 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 higher legal force are as follows: The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus defines the structure and functioning of the economic, political and social spheres of society, enshrines the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. It consists of a preamble and 146 articles, enclosed in 9 sections.
The 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 second can be parliamentary, presidential and mixed. It all depends on which of the state bodies owns a greater fullness of power.
As the name of the state itself shows, the form of government of Belarus is a republic.
It is characterized by the following points:
- the 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 acts as the guarantor of the Constitution, as well as human rights and freedoms. In his person the main provisions of domestic and foreign policy are being 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 consists of 110 members. Any citizen from the age of 21 can become a deputy. A candidate must gain a greater number of votes in the constituency from which he is running (majority system). This house of parliament is endowed with sufficiently broad powers, for example, representatives can consider and adopt draft laws, and also have the right to express a vote of no confidence in the government and bring charges against the president. It is curious that the composition of the first house of representatives included members of the Supreme Council, 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 to reject or adopt draft laws put forward by the lower house. Thus, only really important and well-developed 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 participants in the National Assembly are elected by universal secret ballot for a term of 4 years.
The members of both houses have parliamentary immunity for the entire term of their powers.
President, his powers
The first president and virtually unchanged leader of the Republic of Belarus was Alexander G. 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. Prior to the 1996 referendum, almost all power was vested in the Supreme Council of the Republic. And only after a rather fierce political struggle, the form of government of Belarus from a parliamentary one turned into a presidential one, which testifies to the significant role of the head of state in public life.
The most important powers of the president (the full list is enshrined in a separate chapter of the Constitution):
- It can call referenda, parliamentary elections and local representative bodies, as well as dissolve the chambers.
- Appoints the Prime Minister and determines the structure of the government.
- In agreement with the upper house of parliament, appoints chairmen and judges of the Supreme, Constitutional and Supreme Economic Courts.
- Addresses the people and parliament.
- Decides on the issue of admission / termination of citizenship, provides asylum.
- He is the commander in chief of the armed forces of the country.
The president can be a citizen of the republic after reaching the age of 35, who must have lived in the state for at least 10 years before the election and has the right to vote.
He is elected for a term of 5 years by all-territorial, free and equal voting.
Executive and judicial branches 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 been holding this post 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 Council of Ministers:
- The development of doctrines of domestic and foreign policy, their implementation.
- Development of the country's budget, providing the president with a report on its implementation.
- Carrying out a unified financial, economic, credit and state policy in all spheres of life.
As elsewhere, the judiciary in Belarus is exercised on the principles of territoriality and specialization through the courts.
The judicial system is represented by the following links: first instance courts (city and district), regional courts, the court of the city of Minsk, the 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 regarding non-profit organizations: as early as 2011, a provision was introduced in the country's Criminal Code stipulating liability for their use of foreign cash assistance.
If you believe the sources, today in Belarus there are more than a dozen political parties, 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.
Some of them do not support the policies of the current president:
- Fair World Party;
- Green Party;
- Conservative Christian Party;
- United Civil Party;
- Party "Belarusian Popular Front";
- Gramada Party (Social Democratic).
There are still constructive opposition parties:
- Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord;
- Liberal Democratic Party.
Local government
The political 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 authorities.
The main link of local government is local councils. They are divided into three levels:
- Primary, which includes village, rural and city (district subordination) councils.
- Basic, includes city (regional subordination) and district councils.
- Regional, in its composition regional councils.
Existing local governments are responsible for economic and social policies in their subordinate territorial units, adopt a budget and report on its implementation.
State security management
The State Security Committee (KGB) was created in 1991 after the reorganization of the KGB of the BSSR, and its main task is to protect the state and constitutional system of the republic. The KGB consists of several departments: intelligence, counterintelligence, the fight against organized crime, etc.
Its main tasks are:
- protection of the territorial integrity of the country;
- informing the head of state on the state of national security;
- assistance to other bodies in the development of the republic;
- foreign intelligence organization;
- the 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 preserved many elements of the Soviet system. This form of government (presidential republic) gives the country visible advantages. These include stability and effectiveness of government, because it is the president who determines the political orientation of the state. At the same time, management takes place centrally.