United Civic Party of Belarus

United Civic Party of Belarus
Аб'ядна́ная грамадзя́нская па́ртыя Белару́сі
Russian name Объединенная гражданская партия
Leader Anatoly Lebedko
Founded 1 October 1995 (1995-10-01)
Merger of United Democratic Party,
Civic Party
Headquarters Minsk
Ideology Liberalism[1][2]
Liberal conservatism[3][4][5]
Political position Centre-right
National affiliation United Democratic Forces of Belarus
European affiliation European People's Party (Observer)
International affiliation International Democrat Union (Associate member)
Colours Red and White
House of Representatives
1 / 110
Council of the Republic
0 / 64
Local seats
0 / 21,288
Website
www.ucpb.org

The United Civic Party of Belarus (Russian: Объединенная гражданская партия, Belarusian: Аб'ядна́ная грамадзя́нская па́ртыя Белару́сі, translit. Abjadnanaja hramadzianskaja partyja Biełarusi) is a liberal-conservative[6] political party in Belarus. The party opposes the government of Alexander Lukashenko, generally participates in the country's elections, but did not have a single member in parliament until one member was elected during the 2016 elections. It claims its lack of seats is due to the unfairness of the election process, a claim to which international election monitors have lent some credence.

History

The party was established in 1995 as a result of a merger of two like-minded parties, the United Democratic Party (formed in 1990) and the Civic Party (formed in 1994).[7] The party's chairman is Anatoly Lebedko; deputy chairman are Alexander Dabravolski and Jaroslav Romanchuk. Lebedko represents the party most visibly in both domestic and international settings, and has been involved in numerous altercations with the Belarusian authorities.

At the legislative elections, 13–17 October 2004, the party was part of the People's Coalition 5 Plus, which did not secure any seats. According to the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, these elections fell significantly short of OSCE commitments. Universal principles and constitutionally guaranteed rights of expression, association and assembly were seriously challenged, calling into question the Belarusian authorities’ willingness to respect the concept of political competition on a basis of equal treatment. According to this mission principles of an inclusive democratic process, whereby citizens have the right to seek political office without discrimination, candidates to present their views without obstruction, and voters to learn about them and discuss them freely, were largely ignored.[8]

UCP is an observer member of the European People's Party (EPP).[9]

Structure

UCP has a Women organisation and a Youth Organisation in its structure.

In 1995-2000 youth organisation of UCP was "Civil Forum", which left UCP during Parliamentary elections of 2000, when UCP bycotted it. Culadzimer Novosiad, chairman of Civil Forum got a place in Parliament than.

In 2000-2000 youth organisation called itself "UCP Youth", but was rather an artificial structure in the party.

In 2000-2009 YCSU Young Democrats was officially a youth wing of UCP, but in February 2009 at the congress of YCSU Young Democrats a decision to stop cooperating with party was taken. Some members of YCSU Young Democrats did not support the decision to restrain cooperation with United Civic Party, left YCSU Young Democrats, and stayed as UCP Youth.

References

  1. ↑ Wilson, Andrew (2011), Belarus: The Last European Dictatorship, Yale University Press, p. 176
  2. ↑ Korosteleva, Elena A. (2005), "Party System Development in Belarus 1988–2001: Myths and Realities", Political Parties in Post-Soviet Space, Praeger, p. 63
  3. ↑ Korosteleva, Elena (2005), "The Emergence of a Party System", Postcommunist Belarus, Rowman & Littlefield, p. 37
  4. ↑ "Belarus", Easter Europe, Russia and Central Asia 2004 (4th ed.), Europa Publications, p. 165, 2003
  5. ↑ Bugajski, Janusz (2002), Political Parties of Eastern Europe: A Guide to Politics in a Post-Communist Era, The Center for Strategic and International Studies, p. 22
  6. ↑ Janusz Bugajski (2002). Political Parties of Eastern Europe: A Guide to Politics in the Post-Communist Era. M.E. Sharpe. pp. 22–. ISBN 978-1-56324-676-0.
  7. ↑ European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity
  8. ↑ OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Archived January 8, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ European People's Party
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