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Belarusian Patriotic Party

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Belarusian Patriotic Party
Белорусская патриотическая партия
Беларуская патрыятычная партыя
AbbreviationBPP (English)
БПП (Russian)
ChairmanNikolai Ulakhovich
FounderAnatoly Barankevich
Founded1994 (1994)
Banned24 July 2023 (2023-07-24)
Headquarters38th Building, Myasnikova St, Minsk, Belarus
Membership (2000)~1000[1]
IdeologySocialism[2]
Pro-Lukashenko[1]
Socialist patriotism[3]
Political positionLeft-wing[2][4]
National affiliationRKSKPPGA
Colors  Red
  Blue
House of Representatives
0 / 110
Council of the Republic
0 / 64
Local seats
0 / 18,809
Website
ulahovich.by/partiya

The Belarusian Patriotic Party (Belarusian: Беларуская патрыятычная партыя, romanizedBielaruskaja patryjatyčnaja partyja, BPP) was a political party in Belarus loyal to President Alexander Lukashenko.[5] Nikolai Ulakhovich was the party's chairman.[6]

History

[edit]

The party was established in 1994,[5] and was initially named the Belarusian Patriotic Movement. The party was originally formed under presidential candidate Alexander Lukashenko.[7] Major General, Honored Pilot of the Soviet Union, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Officers of Belarus Anatoly Barankevich became the leader of the party.

BPM won one seat in the second round of voting in the 1995 parliamentary elections.[8][9] It changed its name to the Belarusian Patriotic Party in 1996.[10]

On August 19, 2000, at a congress, the BPP nominated 16 candidates for the parliamentary elections[11]

When checking the Telegraph correspondent of the offices of parties registered in Belarus, it turned out that the BPP has not been at its address since at least 2009, which does not correspond to the information posted on the official website of the Ministry of Justice of Belarus.[12]

The party nominated Nikolai Ulakhovich as its candidate for the 2015 presidential elections. Ulakhovich finished fourth in a field of four candidates with 1.7% of the vote.

On 18 February 2018, following the results of the elections to the Minsk City Council of Deputies, one of the candidates from the Belarusian Patriotic Party was able to be elected to the local Council of Deputies.[13]

In the summer of 2020, the BPP called on voters to support the candidacy of Alexander Lukashenko in the upcoming presidential elections.

The Belarusian Patriotic Party was allied with the Communist Party of Belarus[14] and the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus.[15] It cooperates with the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church and former military organizations.

The party was liquidated by the Supreme Court of Belarus on 24 July 2023, following a complaint from the Ministry of Justice.[16]

Ideology and goals

[edit]

The party was considered left-wing[2][4] and socialist.[2] It officially supported president Lukashenko.[1] The unique trait of the party was its combination of Belarusian patriotism with socialism - as such, the party consisted of left-nationalist activists.[3]

The official goals of the party were described as following: "assistance in building a socially just society; assistance to the formation of a renewed union of fraternal peoples and, first of all, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine; supporting the president in his efforts to implement the preeminent program and urgent measures to bring Belarus out of the crisis; protection of national interests, honor and dignity of the Fatherland in all spheres."[17] Among the program points of the BPP was even the abolition of the Belovezha Accords.

The Belarusian Patriotic Party condemned NATO and the United States for the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 and called it and its 'satellites' to "primary accountability". It argued that in face of American imperialism, all radio and television stations in Belarus should cease any English-language broadcasts, including English-language music.[18]

Despite stating its commitment to Belarusian patriotism, the party was also considered a formally pro-Russian political structure.[19] The declaration of the party stated that one of its goals was "working toward the reestablishment of an upgraded union of brotherly people, of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine in the first place."[20]

BPP Council

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  1. Nikolai Dmitrievich Ulakhovich (born 1951/08/21) - Chairman of the Board of the BPP
  2. Sergey Alexandrovich Poletaev (born 1975/11/14) - Deputy Chairman of the Board of the BPP
  3. Leokadiya Dmitrovna Romeyko (born 1959/01/30) - Deputy Chairman of the Board of the BPP
  4. Grigory Grigorievich Motuzo (born 1962/05/20) - head of the Brest organization
  5. Viktor Nikolaevich Nikolaev (born 1965/05/06) - head of the Vitebsk organization
  6. Sergey Grigorievich Lemeshevsky (born 1970/09/20) - head of the Mogilev organization
  7. Ilya Nikolaevich Ulakhovich (born 1980/12/02) - Head of the Legal Department
  8. Vitaly Aleksandrovich Romeyko (born 1986/10/22) - head of the Kastrychnitski District organization of Minsk

Election results

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Presidential elections

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Election Candidate First round Second round Result
Votes % Votes %
1994 Endorsed Alexander Lukashenko 2,646,140 44.82% 4,241,026 80.34% Elected Green tickY
2001 Endorsed Alexander Lukashenko 4,666,680 75.65% Elected Green tickY
2006 Endorsed Alexander Lukashenko 5,501,249 82.97% Elected Green tickY
2010 Endorsed Alexander Lukashenko 5,130,557 79.65% Elected Green tickY
2015 Nikolai Ulakhovich 102,131 1.67% Lost Red XN
2020 Endorsed Alexander Lukashenko 4,661,075 80.10% Elected Green tickY

Legislative elections

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Election Leader Performance Rank Government
Votes % +/– Seats +/–
1995 Anatoly Barankevich
1 / 260
New 14th Support
2000
0 / 110
Decrease 1 Increase 10th Extra-parliamentary
2004 Nikolai Ulakhovich Did not contest Extra-parliamentary
2008 Extra-parliamentary
2012 Extra-parliamentary
2016 111,045 2.16% New
3 / 110
Increase 3 Increase 5th Support
2019 75,283 1.43% Decrease 0.73
2 / 110
Decrease 1 Decrease 7th Support
2024 Banned

References

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  1. ^ a b c Korosteleva-Polglase, Elena A. (2001). "Explaining party system development in post-communist Belarus" (PDF). Politics, Languages & International Studies. University of Bath: 381.
  2. ^ a b c d Bobrova, Anastacia (2012). "The Role of Migration in the Political System of Belarus". CARIM - East Explanatory Note. 12 (107). CARIM East Project: 2. The first group includes left-wing parties, which promote socialist values – social justice, welfare and decent labor conditions for the citizens, as well as free education and health care. These include: Agrarian Party, Communist Party of Belarus, Republican Party of Labor and Justice, Belarusian Patriotic Party, Belarusian United Left Party "A Just World" (former Belarusian Communist Party).
  3. ^ a b Czachor, Rafał (2016). Anna Zagórska (ed.). Transformacja Systemu Politycznego Białorusi w Latach 1988–2001 (PDF) (in Polish) (1st ed.). Polkowice: Wydawnictwo Uczelni Jana Wyżykowskiego. p. 386. ISBN 978-83-61234-06-7.
  4. ^ a b Pankovsky, Anatoly; Kostyugova, Valeria (2017). Belarusian Yearbook 2017: A survey and analysis of developments in the Republic of Belarus in 2016. Translated by Mark Bence; Volha Hapeyeva; Andrey Kuznetsov; Vladimir Kuznetsov. Vilnius: Lohvinaŭ. p. 38. ISSN 1822-4091. The Republican Party of Labor and Justice (RPLJ) and the Belarusian Patriotic Party (BPP) got three mandates each. If to consider the increase in the representation of the parties as formation of political pluralism, the dominant position is given to the left wing (CPB, RPLJ, BPP), while BPP simultaneously acts as a formally pro-Russian political structure.
  5. ^ a b Vitali Silitski & Jan Zaprudnik (2010) The A to Z of Belarus, Scarecrow Press, p237
  6. ^ "Belarus Political parties and leaders - Government".
  7. ^ Мікалай Улаховіч: Бачу сябе ва ўрадзе на трох пасадах, але яны цяпер занятыя
  8. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, Nomos, p258 ISBN 9783832956097
  9. ^ Elections in 1995 IPU
  10. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p254
  11. ^ Ляшкевіч Ю. Вылучаны першыя кандыдаты ад партый
  12. ^ Куды зніклі беларускія партыі?
  13. ^ Сведения о составе избранных депутатов местных Советов депутатов двадцать восьмого созыва
  14. ^ "Белорусская патриотическая партия это". Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  15. ^ Norris, Pippa (2005). Radical Right: Voters and Parties in the Electoral Market. Cambridge University Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-1-139-44642-6.
  16. ^ "Завяршаецца гісторыя Беларускай патрыятычнай партыі" [History of the Belarusian Patriotic Party ends]. Nasha Niva (in Belarusian). 19 July 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  17. ^ Звесткі аб палітычных партыях, зарэгістраваных у Рэспубліцы Беларусь
  18. ^ Hill, Don (9 March 1999). "Transition Nations Press Review". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  19. ^ Maszkiewicz, Mariusz (2009). Belarus – Towards a United Europe (PDF). Wrocław: Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe. p. 120. ISBN 978-83-61617-76-1.
  20. ^ Pankovsky, Anatoly; Kostyugova, Valeria (2017). Belarusian Yearbook 2017: A survey and analysis of developments in the Republic of Belarus in 2016. Translated by Mark Bence; Volha Hapeyeva; Andrey Kuznetsov; Vladimir Kuznetsov. Vilnius: Lohvinaŭ. p. 38. ISSN 1822-4091.