Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law granting Belarusian citizens the right to vote and run in local elections across Russia.
In return, Russians will enjoy the same political rights in Belarus.
The law, made public through Russia’s official legal portal and confirmed by the state-owned Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, ratifies a protocol signed earlier this year. That agreement gives equal local electoral rights to citizens of both countries who permanently live in each other’s territory.
According to the document, the protocol introduces changes to a long-standing treaty between Russia and Belarus.
The original deal, signed on 25 December 1998, aimed to provide both countries’ citizens with equal rights when residing across borders.
However, local election rights were not part of that agreement until now.
Putin personally submitted the ratification request to the State Duma, Russia’s lower legislative chamber.
The Duma swiftly approved the bill before it passed through the upper house and landed back on Putin’s desk for final signing.
The Speaker of the Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, described the move as a major step toward deeper cooperation.
He said the law would “strengthen integration and cooperation” within the framework of the Union State a political and economic partnership between Russia and Belarus.
The protocol was officially signed in Moscow on 13 March 2025. Its publication on the Kremlin’s legal portal means it has now come into full legal force.
With this move, Belarusian citizens who live permanently in Russia can vote for mayors, councillors, and other local officials.
Russians residing in Belarus can also participate in similar local elections.
While the protocol does not allow voting in national elections, it represents a symbolic and practical shift in bilateral relations.
This legal development adds to growing efforts by Moscow and Minsk to align their policies and institutions.
In recent years, the two countries have deepened military, economic, and political ties under the Union State framework.
Critics warn that this kind of integration could further reduce Belarus’s independence.
However, officials in both capitals defend the plan as a boost to citizen rights and regional stability.
