Legislature

Legislative power is exercised by the bicameral Parliament, the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus.

The lower house is the House of Representatives, the upper – the Council of the Republic.

Their term of office is 4 years.

The House of Representatives consists of 110 deputies elected by constituencies and representing the interests of citizens.

The Council of the Republic has territorial representation. It consists of 64 members: 8 members are elected from each region and the city of Minsk by secret ballot at meetings of local councils of deputies of the corresponding administrative territorial units, and the remaining 8 members of the Council of the Republic are appointed by the President.

The right of legislative initiative belongs to the President, members of the House of Representatives, the Council of the Republic, the Government, and also to groups of at least 50,000 people eligible to vote, and is exercised by the House of Representatives.