Why did Belarus need four rounds of voting in the 1995 legislative elections?

The 1995 legislative elections in Belarus required four rounds of voting due to the specific requirements of the Belarusian electoral system. Under these rules, a candidate could only be seated if they captured at least 50 percent of the vote, provided that at least 50 percent of eligible voters participated in the election.12

These strictures made it difficult to fill seats, and it took until December 1995 to reach a quorum in the Supreme Soviet. Even after four rounds of voting, the process concluded with more than 60 legislative seats remaining vacant.12