BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/01/2009

More Belarusians Want Unification with Russia

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - An increasing number of people in Belarus want their country to be integrated to Russia, according to a poll by the Independent Institute for Social, Economic and Political Studies (IISEPS). 46.3 per cent of respondents would vote in favour of unification with their neighbour if a referendum took place, up 12.5 points since September 2007.

Conversely, 35.3 per cent of respondents would vote against unification.

Belarus seceded from the Soviet Union in 1991. In 1994, independent candidate Aleksandr Lukashenko won the presidential election, boosted by his popularity after acting as chairman of an anti-corruption parliamentary committee. Lukashenko remains the country's president to this day.

In March 2006, Lukashenko won the presidential election with 82.6 per cent of the vote. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the ballot "did not meet the required international standards for free and fair elections" and was "severely flawed due to arbitrary use of state power and restrictions to basic rights."

Belarus held a legislative election in September 2008, The Central Election Committee said the opposition failed to elect one single representative to the legislature, declaring, "The 99 elected candidates support the current authorities. There is no opponent among them."

In August 2008, Georgian and Russian soldiers engaged in combat in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway regions in Georgia where many citizens hold Russian passports. The Russian government has formally acknowledged the independence of both regions. South Ossetia and Abkhazia are still considered a part of Georgia-a former Soviet republic-by the international community.

On Dec. 23, Lukashenko said Belarus may recognize the independence of the two Georgian regions this year, declaring, "After the New Year, our parliament will consider these questions. (:) If the people and parliament have the will for this, then the president will sign the corresponding order."

Polling Data

If a referendum on Russia-Belarus unification took place today, how would you vote?

Dec. 2008

Sept. 2007

For unification

46.3%

33.8%

Against unification

35.3%

47.4%

Wouldn't vote

9.7%

11.0%

Not sure

8.2%

7.8%

Source: Independent Institute for Social, Economic and Political Studies (IISEPS)

Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,522 Belarusian adults, conducted from Dec. 2 to Dec. 12, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

Source:

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/more_belarusians_want_unification_with_russia/

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