IPA CIS Observers Held Meetings at Candidates’ Headquarters for Parliamentary Election in Uzbekistan

The IPA CIS international observers held meetings in Tashkent with the leadership and representatives of the election headquarters of the political parties that have nominated candidates for the election to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

On 26 September, the observers visited the election headquarters of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan, where they met with its leaders – Olga Litvinova, Mohira Khojayeva and Komiljon Zhuraev.

The Ecological Party is the newest political force in Uzbekistan and is represented in the Legislative Chamber by 15 deputies.

At the stage of candidate registration, the party had no difficulties in cooperation with election commissions. The peculiarity of the party’s campaign was the implementation of educational and youth projects with the support of the network of regional branches. The slogan of the 2024 election programme is “Let’s unite for the sake of nature!”.

The leaders of the party’s election headquarters noted the high professionalism of the members of the CEC of Uzbekistan, in particular, the prompt resolution of all issues that arose in the process of preparation for the election.

The IPA CIS observers met with First Deputy Chair of the “Adolat” Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan Abdukamol Rakhmonov.

According to the leaders of the election headquarters, it is necessary to improve the forms of support for low-income and socially unprotected strata of the population. A peculiarity of the party is the significant representation of employees of budgetary state institutions in its ranks. More than 48 per cent of party members are women, and more than 50 per cent are young people.

The party leaders said that the pre-election campaign is characterized by special intensity, active use of information and communication technologies by all political forces.

Abdukamol Rakhmonov noted equal access of all political parties to mass media, timely financing of campaign expenses from the state budget, publication of party programme and campaign materials in national newspapers.

The leaders of the party’s election headquarters have no complaints about the work of the CEC of Uzbekistan and the state authorities involved in the organization of voting.

At the headquarters of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Adviser to the Secretary General – Head of the IPA CIS Council Secretariat Sergey Karavaev and Head of the IPA CIS IIMDD Expert Group Stanislav Tkachenko met with Deputy Chair of the Party Ulugbek Vafayev.

The party has chosen the goal of its political work to build a social state in Uzbekistan. The party has for many years been in favor of electing the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis under the proportional representation system, and therefore welcomes the practice introduced in the current election of MPs of the Legislative Chamber on party lists.

Party representatives commended the professionalism of the CEC staff who provided extensive training programmes for members of all district and precinct election commissions.

The IPA CIS Observation group also visited the election headquarters of the Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, where they had a meeting with Deputy Chairs of the Party’s Central Council Bahadirjon Mamathonov and Firuza Mukhamedzhanova.

Bahadirjon Mamathonov characterized the current stage of the country’s history as a period of rapid socio-economic reforms. He supported the ongoing strategy of change in the area of domestic and foreign policy.

The party actively uses electronic media, social networks, and printed materials in campaign activities. Preparations are underway for campaign events, including political debates with representatives of other parties.

The international observation phase, which involves meetings of the IPA CIS international observers with political parties in Uzbekistan, concluded with a visit to the election headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan.

Deputy Chair of the Executive Committee of the Political Council of the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Yakubov and the heads of the party’s election headquarters spoke about the party’s programme, the stage of nomination and registration of candidates, as well as the plans for campaigning during the election campaign.

The party representatives positively assessed the changes in the Electoral Code of the Republic, as well as the introduction of digital technologies, embodied in the “E-Saylov” information system, into electoral procedures.

The participants of the meeting discussed the party’s cooperation with the CEC. According to the party’s members, the electoral bodies have carried out extensive work to prepare for the parliamentary election.