President of the Republic of Belarus is the head of the state, guarantor of the Constitution and civil rights. According to the Constitution, president personifies unity of the people, guarantees the exercize of internal and external policy of the state, and represents the Republic of Belarus in relations with other states and international organizations. President takes measures to secure sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus, its national security and territorial integrity, provides political and economical stability, succession and cooperation of state bodies, and is a mediator between them.

According to the Constitutional Charter of the Republic of Belarus, a candidate must meet several requirements: Belarus citizenship, at least 35 years old, elective franchise, and permanent residence in the republic not less than 10 years before the election.

In accordance to the Constitution (article 84), President of the Republic of Belarus:

• Sets republican referendums;
• Sets ordinary and special elections into the House of Representatives, the Council of the Republic and local representative bodies;
• Dissolves the Houses of Parliament in cases stipulated by the Constitution;
• Appoints 6 members of the Central election and republican referendums commission of the Republic of Belarus;
• Establishes, abolishes and reestablishes the President Administration, other state and presidential bodies;
• By the House of Representatives approbation appoints prime minister;
• Determines the government structure, appoints and dismisses prime minister's deputies and other members of government, accepts the resignation of the cabinet;
• By the Council of the Republic approbation appoints chairmen of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Economic Court;
• By the Council of the Republic approbation appoints the Supreme Court and the Supreme Economic Court judges, chairman of the Central election and republican referendums commission; general prosecutor, chairman and the board of the National Bank;
• Appoints 6 judges of the Constitutional Court and other judges;
• Dismisses the Supreme Court and the Supreme Economic Court judges, chairman of the Central election and republican referendums commission; general prosecutor, chairman and the board of the National Bank on legal grounds and with notification of the Council of the republic;
• Appoints and dismisses the State Supervision Committee chairman;
• Addresses to the citizens with the information on the situation in the republic and main points of the internal and external policy;
• Annually addresses to the Parliament with messages that are not discussed during the sessions; has the right to participate in Parliament sessions, deliver messages or hold speeches;
• Has the right to chair the government sessions;
• Appoints heads of governmental bodies and determines their status; appoints president representatives in the Parliament and other officials in accordance with legislation if other is not stipulated by the Constitution;
• Settles questions concerning granting of citizenship and granting asylum;
• Sets state holidays, gives ranks, confers awards;
• Grants pardons;
• Holds negotiations, signs international treaties, appoints and recalls envoys;
• Receives credentials and letters of recall from envoys accredited in the Republic of Belarus;
• In case of a disaster or upheaval accompanied by violence or a menace of violence from a group of persons or an organization leading to threats to people's lives and health, territorial integrity and existence of the state, imposes the state of emergency on the territory or some parts of the republic;
• Has legal rights to postpone a strike but no longer than for 3 months;
• Sign laws, can, on legal grounds, return a law or some of its articles with his objections to the House of Representatives;
• Has the right to abate the Parliament acts;
• Directly or through special bodies supervises law compliance by local authorities; has the right to abate decisions of local Soviets of deputies if the do not observe law compliance;
• Forms and heads the Security council of the Republic of Belarus; appoints and dismisses the General Secretary of the Security Council;
• is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus; appoints and dismisses the Supreme Command; in case of war threat imposes martial law, declares general or partial mobilization;
• Delivers other authorities imposed by the constitution.

In accordance with the Constitution (article 85), president issues ordnances and decrees, that have the binding force on the whole territory of the Republic of Belarus. In cases stipulated by the Constitution, president issues decrees having force of laws. Directly or through special bodies provides the execution of decrees and ordnances.