On Tuesday 20 February, the European Union again called for electoral reform in Belarus, following the local elections that were held in the country on 18 February.
"The European Union continues to expect the Belarusian authorities to, without delay, resume work on a serious and comprehensive reform of the election law and processes", the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) stated in a press release, adding that "such a reform should be undertaken as soon as possible ahead of the next elections so as to address the longstanding recommendations and to ensure a level playing field". The spokesperson said that the reform process should be "transparent and inclusive". This reform would also be an additional step towards reaching the full potential of EU-Belarus relations, the spokesperson added.
Speaking about the elections on 18 February, the EEAS spokesperson said that while they were "an opportunity to enhance the legitimacy of local representatives in the country", "a number of key recommendations made and systemic shortcomings identified" by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe's Venice Commission following previous elections "remained unaddressed". The spokesperson reiterated that the EU is ready to assist Belarus in its efforts to bring its election process into line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections.
The voter turnout rate for the elections, which enabled over 18,000 local councillors to be elected, was over 77%. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)