The next parliamentary elections are scheduled in the country on October 27. During the voting, 150 deputies of the Legislative Chamber and 56 members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the country’s bicameral parliament, will be elected. As part of the upcoming vote, elections of deputies of the Tashkent, regional, city and district kengashes (councils), as well as elections of deputies of the Jokargy Kenes – the republican parliament of Karakalpakstan, will also be held. About 30 thousand candidates are expected to take part in the elections.
Now the election campaign in Uzbekistan is in full swing. Representatives of the country’s five main political forces are vying for deputy seats in the Legislative Chamber, regional and local councils: the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, which has the largest number of seats in the current parliament, the Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the center-left Social Democratic Party Adolat “, People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan and Ecological Party.
The oldest of the political forces participating in the election race is the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, which dates its history back to the moment Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991. The youngest of the political forces is the Ecological Party, registered relatively recently – in 2019.
According to the new rules, half of the deputies of the lower house of parliament – 75 people – will be elected according to a majoritarian system, and the second half – according to a proportional system. A proportional electoral system involves voting not for a specific candidate, but for a political party and the subsequent distribution of deputy seats in parliament depending on the number of votes received by a particular political force.
Within the framework of a majoritarian electoral system, it is more difficult for small political parties to compete with large and established political forces. The presence in parliament of one or more deputies from a small party who managed to win in their single-mandate constituency can hardly be considered full-fledged participation of the party in the work of the legislative body.
The transition to a mixed electoral system is one of the important steps towards further democratization of the political system of Uzbekistan and increasing political pluralism. This transition will help strengthen the role of smaller and more influential political parties.
In most countries with a high level of democracy, parliamentary elections are held either according to a proportional electoral system or a mixed one. For example, in Germany, parliamentary elections are held according to a mixed system: 50 percent of deputies are elected from single-member constituencies, the other 50 percent enter parliament through party lists. In countries such as Sweden, the Netherlands, Israel, Austria, elections are held only according to the proportional electoral system, since it is believed that it ensures representation even for small parties and takes into account the votes of voters as much as possible.
The transition from a majoritarian to a mixed electoral system is designed for the long term – with the emergence of new political parties in Uzbekistan that will express the current needs of one or another part of society. It will be easier for new political forces to integrate into the country’s political system, receiving full representation in the national parliament, within the framework of a mixed political system rather than within a purely majoritarian one.
Against this background, we can expect an increase in the number of deputy initiatives and other parliamentary activity, as well as a gradual increase in the number of deputy factions in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, which will also be a manifestation of the democratization of political life and the growth of political pluralism.
Photo: Official website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
In recent years, the authorities of Uzbekistan have been working hard to increase the role of the Oliy Majlis and councils at various levels in the political life of the country. This is evidenced by the expansion of the functionality of both chambers of the Oliy Majlis and the strengthening of the responsibility of the executive authorities to the parliament. Thus, on April 30, 2023, a national referendum was held in Uzbekistan, as a result of which significant innovations were approved in the Basic Law of the country. After amendments to the Constitution, the number of exclusive powers of the Legislative Chamber increased from 5 to 12. The Legislative Chamber received such additional and very significant powers as considering and approving, upon the proposal of the president, the candidacy of the prime minister of the country, hearing government reports, considering the report of the Accounting Chamber on the expenditure of funds and monitoring the execution of the state budget. Together with the Senate, the Legislative Chamber received the right to conduct parliamentary investigations. After the adoption of amendments to the Constitution, the Senate expanded its powers in forming the judiciary of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts, appointing the leadership of national anti-corruption and anti-monopoly departments.
At the local government level (city and district councils), representative authorities also received additional powers to address issues of education, urban planning, transport, infrastructure and the environment. This redistribution of powers occurred after the President of the country, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, issued a decree in February of this year “On measures to improve the efficiency of local government bodies.” Previously, these powers were vested in local heads of executive power (khokims). At the same time, the accountability of khokims to the kengash has increased.
In December last year, the leadership of Uzbekistan introduced changes to national legislation, according to which five deputies were enough to form a separate parliamentary faction in the Legislative Chamber. Previously, at least nine parliamentarians were needed to create a new faction.
The importance of the upcoming elections is evidenced by their wide coverage in the media, as well as the active work of candidates with voters, including using various electronic services. The presence of 70 thousand observers, including international ones, is planned for the parliamentary elections, which indicates the desire of the country’s leadership to ensure maximum transparency of voting and confirms the high legitimacy of the upcoming elections.
The holding of the upcoming parliamentary elections, as well as the general increase in the role of the Oliy Majlis and councils in the political life of the country, is also important in terms of maintaining stability and strengthening consensus in society. The population of Uzbekistan is growing rapidly. Over the past thirty years, the country’s population has increased by 15 million people. Today it exceeds 36 million. It is projected to reach 40 million people by 2030, and possibly earlier, and continue to rise. At the same time, the general awareness of citizens of Uzbekistan is also growing. The coverage of the population by the Internet and the media is increasing. The mobility of citizens and their political activity are growing. In such conditions, the issue of political participation of citizens in the life of the country, taking into account their opinions and initiatives becomes important. It is through parliamentary elections, as well as through the active work of the Oliy Majlis and councils in the periods between elections, that citizens can best realize their political interests: by voting and supporting certain candidates, nominating themselves in elections, proposing or supporting certain political initiatives.
It is obvious that the leadership of Uzbekistan intends to continue to make the country’s political system more open and increase the level of political pluralism. And the next important milestone on this path for the leadership and citizens of Uzbekistan will be the holding of parliamentary elections this month.
Source: rg.ru
