In Europe's sketchiest election, Belarus votes in entirely pro-government parliament (+video)
Not a single member of an opposition party won seat in Belarus's parliamentary elections, which have been widely condemned by international observers.
Minsk, Belarus
Not a single opposition politician won a seat in Belarus's parliament in a weekend vote that has been condemned by international observers and looks set to deepen the former Soviet nation's diplomatic isolation.
Critics also said the 74.3 percent turnout reported by the Central Elections Commission chairman on Monday was way too high and indicated widespread fraud.
The main opposition parties, which were ignored by state-run media, boycotted the election to protest the detention of political prisoners and ample opportunities for election fraud.
The vote filled the parliament with representatives of three parties that have backed the policy agenda of President Alexander Lukashenko.
"This election was not competitive from the start," said Matteo Mecacci, leader of the observer mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. "A free election depends on people being free to speak, organize, and run for office, and we didn't see that in this campaign."
Belarus's parliament has long been considered a rubber-stamp body for Mr. Lukashenko's policies. He has ruled the former Soviet nation since 1994, and Western observers have criticized all recent elections in Belarus as undemocratic.
