Voting begins for early presidential election in Uzbekistan

By Bahtiyar Abdulkerimov

TASHKENT (AA) - Polling stations have opened across Uzbekistan for the country’s early presidential elections.

In April, Uzbek citizens voted on constitutional amendments which provide for the extension of the presidential term from the current five to seven years and also allow incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to be elected again after two consecutive terms.

Approximately 20 million registered voters are eligible to cast their votes in the election, which began at 8:00 a.m. local time and continue until 8:00 p.m. local time. A total of 10,784 polling stations have been set up across the country.

Uzbek citizens living abroad will also be able to cast their votes in 55 polling stations established in 39 countries, including Türkiye.

For the election to be considered valid, turnout must exceed 33%.

To win the election, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the votes, otherwise the top two contenders will go to a second round.

Citizens fluent in the Uzbek language, over age 35, who have lived in the country for the last decade and nominated by political parties can run for the presidency.

Four candidates nominated by five political parties represented in the lower house of parliament, the Legislative Chamber, are competing in the election.

Incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who has been nominated by the Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party, is running for re-election.

The other candidates are People's Democratic Party’s Ulugbek Inoyatov, Environmental Party’s Abdushukur Khamzayev, and Social Democratic Party Adolat (Justice) leader Robakhon Makhmudova, who also serves as the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court.

The National Revival Party is supporting Mirziyoyev, the candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party.

The election will be observed by nearly 800 international observers from various countries, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Turkic Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

More than 2,000 local and foreign journalists are covering the election.