Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan’s President Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been re-elected with an overwhelming majority of 87.1 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results announced by the country’s Central Election Commission. The election took place on 9th July 2023, with more than 15 million voters participating.
Mr. Mirziyoyev, who has been ruling since 2016, called for a snap election after amending the constitution through a referendum. The constitutional changes reset his term count and extended the presidential term from five to seven years. Running against three relatively unknown candidates from minor parties, Mr. Mirziyoyev was widely expected to secure a majority of votes.
During his tenure, Mr. Mirziyoyev has positioned himself as a reformer and has implemented significant changes in Uzbekistan, aiming to create a “New Uzbekistan.” He introduced reforms that simplified taxes, reduced obstacles for businesses, and established a system allowing citizens to address bureaucratic issues through petitions on the presidential website. Human rights organizations have also acknowledged improvements under Mr. Mirziyoyev, such as the eradication of forced labour in the cotton fields and the release of political prisoners detained during the previous president’s rule, Mr. Islam Karimov.
However, critics argue that the current government has simultaneously weakened democratic progress in the country. Similar to leaders in other post-Soviet states like Belarus and Tajikistan, as well as his predecessor Mr. Karimov, Mr. Mirziyoyev has extended his term through constitutional amendments. Analysts have expressed concerns that, behind his reformist image, Mr. Mirziyoyev may be following the path of consolidating power through constitutional changes.
The official results of the election are yet to be announced, but Mr. Mirziyoyev’s victory by a wide margin reinforces his position as the leader of Uzbekistan for another term.
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