Building a democratic Belarus through constitutional reform

The major amendments to the Constitution of Belarus adopted in 1996, 2004, and 2022 following referendums undermined the balance of power between state institutions and ultimately concentrated all power in the hands of the President.

The European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) has stated that these amendments further exacerbated the lack of democracy in a country where the President already held excessive powers and adequate checks and balances were lacking.

In response, the Civil Constitution Commission, headed by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Representative for Constitutional Reform, is working on a draft New Belarus Constitution and the draft laws needed to implement it.

The New Belarus Constitution is a modern European constitution that will ensure the transition from authoritarian rule to a democratic parliamentary system of government based on popular sovereignty, regular, fair, and free elections, the separation of powers, and respect for human rights. It will also lay the foundation for Belarus’s development for decades to come.

Read the draft New Belarus Constitution and take part in its discussion on Prastora.info.

Constitutional reform will also require amendments to laws governing the work of the legislative, executive and judicial branches, local governments, independent oversight bodies, and civil society institutions.

Below is a list of priority laws that need to be developed. Work on some of them is already underway:

1. Electoral Code;
2. Statute of the Sojm (Parliament);
3. On the President;
4. On the Government;
5. On Local Self-Governance;
6. On the Constitutional Court;
7. Code on the Judiciary and the Status of Judges;
8. On the National Council of Justice;
9. On the Bar and the Practice of Law;
10. On the Prosecutor’s Office;
11. On the Commissioner for Human Rights;
12. On the Audit Chamber;
13. On the Committee for the Supervision of the Intelligence and Security Services;
14. On the Committee on Public Service Ethics and Anti-Corruption;
15. On Political Parties;
16. On Public Associations;
17. On Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations;
18. On Trade Unions;
19. On Media.

As part of its efforts to shape a vision for New Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office welcomes all opinions. Belarusians are invited to discuss the draft Constitution and the laws already available or to submit their own draft bills to constitution@tsikhanouskaya.org. The Office will facilitate public discussion of these proposals.