{"id":11303,"date":"2021-12-14T15:54:15","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T12:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/replacement-of-top-election-official-unlikely-to-make-voting-more-transparent\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"replacement-of-top-election-official-unlikely-to-make-voting-more-transparent","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11303\/","title":{"rendered":"Replacement of top election official unlikely to make voting more transparent"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Aliaksandr Klasko\u016dski, BPN <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n Lidzija Jarmo\u0161yna, who has been accused by election monitoring groups of complicity in election fraud, has stepped down as chair of the central election commission after 25 years in charge. Her departure is unlikely to add transparency to elections in Belarus. <\/b>\n<\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t Aliaksandr Luka\u0161enka on December 13 appointed Ihar Karpienka, a former education minister, as head of the central election commission.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Jarmo\u0161yna\u2019s retirement has not come as a surprise. She announced in December 2021 that she planned to step down.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Her replacement comes months before a constitutional referendum seen as an attempt by the Belarusian leader to bolster his legitimacy in the eyes of the Belarusian public.\n<\/p>\n

Loyal foot soldier<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t Karpenka, leader of the pro-government Communist Party of Belarus, is known as Luka\u0161enka\u2019s loyal foot soldier.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t As education minister, he has been directly involved in organizing elections: local election commissions were formed mainly of school teachers loyal to the government. He also headed the Minsk City Election Commission during an election.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The education ministry has been purging schools and universities of dissidents after the 2020 presidential election, while Luka\u0161enka has picked loyal foot soldiers, often former security officers, for key government positions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Although Karpienka has a civilian background, he is ready to carry out any commands.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Luka\u0161enka claimed in a recent interview that around 90 percent of Belarusians backed him. Observers interpreted that remark as a reference point for election officials who will be in charge of the constitutional referendum coming up in late February.\n<\/p>\n

Luka\u0161enka\u2019s message of change<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t If the new constitution is adopted, Karpienka\u2019s appointment would have to be confirmed by the All-Belarusian People Assembly, Luka\u0161enka said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Belarusian leader\u2019s press office quoted him as saying that the draft constitution includes changes that would make the electoral process \u201cmore independent so that people do not have any suspicion that the executive branch or the head of state put pressure on the electoral process through the central election commission or territorial election commissions.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t It should be noted, however, that the All-Belarusian People\u2019s Assembly was formed of delegates handpicked by local executive authorities. The government is not expected to change that approach to the selection of delegates to assemblies. Therefore, the executive branch is likely to remain in control of the central election commission.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Luka\u0161enka and state propaganda are likely to sell the reshuffle and new confirmation procedure to the public and the West as progress toward democracy. The Belarusian leader has described the draft constitution as his response to demands for change from disenchanted voters.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Protesters, however, demanded his resignation and a new, free and fair presidential election, not a new constitution.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u201cWe\u2019ll have tough times starting with the referendum,\u201d Luka\u0161enka told Karpienka on December 13. \u201cYou are an experienced man, you worked at the city executive committee, so you know what these electoral campaigns are about. Afterward we will hold a single voting day [general election] to elect our soviets [local councils] and the legislature, the parliament. And naturally, it will be followed by a presidential election. It seems a distant prospect, but it is not so distant. Everything will depend on how the situation develops in our country.\u201d  \n<\/p>\n

\n\t The local and parliamentary elections are expected to be scheduled for the fall of 2023. Luka\u0161enka is unlikely to hold an early presidential election unless circumstances force him to do so.\n<\/p>\n

Elections under new constitution<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t Many observers believe that Vladimir Putin would like Luka\u0161enka to transfer power to a successor sooner than 2025 (the next presidential election under the current constitution) because he considers him a toxic partner. Moscow is looking to have more room for maneuver in Belarus.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The overhauled All-Belarusian People\u2019s Assembly is likely to hold its first session after the adoption of the new constitution.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t In addition to his presidency, Luka\u0161enka may take charge of the All-Belarusian People\u2019s Assembly to make sure he fully controls the country throughout the political reform.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Aliaksandr Klasko\u016dski, BPN Lidzija Jarmo\u0161yna, who has been accused by election monitoring groups of complicity in election fraud, has stepped down as chair of the central election commission after 25 years in charge. Her departure is unlikely to add transparency to elections in Belarus. Aliaksandr Luka\u0161enka on December 13 appointed Ihar Karpienka, a former […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-11303","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReplacement of top election official unlikely to make voting more transparent | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Aliaksandr Klasko\u016dski, BPN Lidzija Jarmo\u0161yna, who has been accused by election monitoring groups of complicity in election fraud, has stepped down as\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11303\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Replacement of top election official unlikely to make 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