MINSK, 26 August (BelTA) – The number of candidates to the House of Representatives is down to 498, reads a post on the website of the Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC), BelTA informs.
According to the latest information, 27 people withdrew from the race. Initially 521 people were registered to stand in the parliamentary elections. Later four more appealed their candidate status (three were registered by decision of the courts and another one by decision of the regional election commission).
Currently, 316 candidates to the Parliament are party-nominated. 115 are women, 52 are under 30, 28 people are members of the current House of Representatives, 35 are deputies of local councils of deputies.
Previously, the CEC head Lidia Yermoshina suggested at it was mainly “shill” candidates who withdrew from the race. From the start they campaigned as “backup pilots” of stronger candidates. According to her, at some point these stooge candidates withdraw from the elections so as not to “pull off votes” and start working for the stronger parliamentary nominees who have more chances of getting into Parliament.
According to the CEC, among the reasons of withdrawal, the dropouts usually cite family, health and work.
The elections to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus will be held on 11 September 2016.
