[1] It consists of 110 deputies elected to four year terms on the basis of direct electoral suffrage by secret ballot (art.

The functions of the House are to consider draft laws and the other business of government; it must approve the nomination of a prime minister (art.

Since the 1995 Belarusian parliamentary election the majority of seats in the House of Representatives have been held by independents.

Notably, the House has little control over government spending; it cannot pass a law to increase or decrease the budget without presidential consent.

[4] The House has been composed entirely of Lukashenko supporters for all but one term since 2004, and even before 2004 there had been little substantive opposition to presidential decisions.