Following the presidential advice, the deputies voted for "an experienced man", the current minister of agriculture Vadzim Papou. Uladzimir Kanapliou, ex-deputy chairman of the House of Representatives, was re-elected deputy chairman.

More than half of the deputies (66 out of 110) had nominated Kanapliou as speaker. But the Belarusian leader, Aliaksandr Lukashenka, insisted on Papou's candidacy. Kanapliou, being "a member of the presidential team", rejected his own nomination.

Before the session, newly elected deputies regularly met with Lidzija Yarmoshyna, chairwoman of the Central Election Commission, and with the leaders of the old House of Representatives. On November 17, they met with Lukashenka. During the meetings, participants had discussed the candidacies for the positions of chairman, deputy chairman and chairpersons of the key commissions.

A certain innovation was the formation of parliamentary territorial groups, which are to perform the functions of political factions. Of 97 members of parliament, only 16 are members of political parties. In the absence of a political core in parliament, the authorities suggested that the deputies organize on the territorial principle.

The regional division in the House of Representatives meets the authorities' interests in full, because it replaces traditional political fights in parliament with regional controversies. The Belarusian leader evidently believes that the regional division will split the members into groups that stand up for their regional interests. Moreover, Lukashenka repeatedly said that members of parliament should be more active in making social and economic laws. In other words, he made it clear that they should engage in legislative work only, like their predecessors did, and not meddle in politics. This is the priority for the head of state.

In fact, the formation of territorial parliamentary groups is at variance with the principles of a unitary state, such as Belarus. Regional groups are more characteristic of federations and confederations. In this case, deputies that represent different territorial units with different socio-economic level and, probably, different legislation, can push for some privileges for their region.

In Belarus, regions are directly subordinate to the central authorities and their heads are appointed by a presidential edict. So it is hard to lobby regional interests. Besides, under the Constitution, the regions' interests are to be represented by the upper chamber of the National Assembly, the Council of Republic, which is a house of territorial representation. Does Belarus need two chambers of territorial representation?

It is also likely that the House of Representatives will split in some professional groups. There can be an agrarian groups, an industrial group and an energy group, which would consist of Belarusian oil and gas "barons" elected to the lower chamber.

The number of permanent commissions grew from 11 to 14. Three commissions were divided. The Commission on Budget and Finance was divided into the Commission on Budget, Finance and Tax Policy and the Commission on Monetary Policy and Banking. The Commission on Economic Issues was divided into the Commission on Industry, Energy, Transport, Communications and Entrepreneurship and the Commission on Housing Policy, Construction, Commerce and Privatization. The Commission on Labor, Social Issues, Healthcare, Physical Culture and Sports was divided into the Commission on Labor, Social Protection, Veterans and Invalids' Affairs and the Commission on Healthcare, Physical Culture and Family and Youth Affairs. Thus, ideally, two representatives of each region and Minsk can be elected to a chairman's position.

There are 7 deputies per each parliamentary commission. Members of the House of Representatives were offered to express their preferences for the commissions by voting. The voting revealed three most coveted commissions. They are the Commission on Industry, Energy, Transport, Communications and Entrepreneurship; the Commission on International Affairs and Relations with CIS; and the Commission on National Security. Each of the commissions attracted eleven deputies. To compare, only 5 deputies expressed wish to work in two budget and finance commissions. Only three deputies wanted to deal with the social protection of veterans and the handicapped. It is quite probable that deputies will be forced to work in certain commissions.

An even greater problem for some members of the House of Representatives is the constitutional requirement on professional work in parliament. This task will require Lukashenka's personal involvement, because a professional parliament has become an matter of honor for the Belarusian leader. He repeatedly emphasized that members of the newly elected parliament will have to quit their previous jobs. Nevertheless, 16 deputies have asked Lukashenka to allow them to work both in parliament and retain their current job. The president has two options now: to stand firm on his decision and make some of the deputies either leave parliament or quit the job, or to allow them to retain both positions by a presidential edict.