National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus

National Assembly of Belarus Нацыянальны сход Рэспублікі Беларусь Национальное собрание Республики Беларусь
National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Council of the Republic House of Representatives
History
Founded	11 November 1996
Structure
Seats	174 members 110 representatives 64 councilors
Council of the Republic political groups	Government (64)   Independents (46)   Communist Party of Belarus (17)   Liberal Democratic Party (1)
House of Representatives political groups	Government (108)   Independents (93)   Communist Party of Belarus (8)   Belarusian Patriotic Party (3)   Republican Party of Labour and Justice (3)   Liberal Democratic Party (1) Opposition (2)   United Civic Party (1)   Independent (1)
Elections
Council of the Republic voting system	Indirect election by regional assemblies, Appointment by the President of the Republic
House of Representatives voting system	First-past-the-post
Last House of Representatives election	11 September 2016
Meeting place
Minsk
Website
www.house.gov.by www.sovrep.gov.by

The National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus (Belarusian: Нацыянальны сход Рэспублікі Беларусь, Nacyjanalny schod Respubliki Biełaruś; Russian: Национальное собрание Республики Беларусь, Natsionalnoye sobran'ye Respubliki Belarus) is the bicameral parliament that governs Belarus. The two chambers of the National Assembly are:

• Council of the Republic - The upper house
• House of Representatives - The lower house

While each chamber has specific duties, both chambers have the ability to veto the decrees of local administrations that deviate from the Constitution of Belarus.

The chambers of the National Assembly are convened to two regular sessions every year: the first session opens October 2 and its duration cannot be more than 80 days; the second session opens April 2 and does not last more than 90 days.

The House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic may be convened to an extraordinary session. Extraordinary sessions are convened under a particular agenda upon an initiative of the President of the Republic of Belarus or upon a request of at least two-thirds majority of the full membership of each of the chambers.

Any bill must be initially considered in the House of Representatives and then in the Council of the Republic. According to the Constitution, any bill that impacts the state budget must be approved by the president or the government before being voted on.

Its predecessor was the Supreme Soviet of Belarus (until 1996).

External links

• Why Does Europe Engage With Belarus's Rubber Stamp Parliament?