Global Courant
TASHKENT
Polls have been opened for early presidential elections in Uzbekistan.
In April, Uzbek citizens voted on constitutional amendments that would extend the presidential mandate from the current five to seven years, while also allowing incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to be re-elected for two consecutive terms.
Approximately 20 million registered voters will be able to vote in the election, which starts at 8:00 am local time and continues until 20:00 local time. A total of 10,784 ballot boxes were set up across the country.
Uzbek citizens living abroad will also be able to vote in 55 ballot boxes to be established in 39 countries, including Turkey.
The turnout must exceed 33% for the election to be considered valid.
To win the election, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote, otherwise the top two candidates will advance to the runoff.
Citizens who speak Uzbek, are over 35 years old, have lived in the country for the last ten years and are nominated by political parties, can run for president.
Four candidates nominated by five political parties represented in the Legislative Assembly, the lower house of parliament, are competing in the elections.
Incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, nominated by the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, is running for re-election.
Other candidates are Ulugbek Inoyatov from the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Abdushukur Khamzayev from the Environment Party, and Robakhon Makhmudova, the leader of the Social Democratic Party Adolat (Justice), who also serves as the 1st Vice President of the Supreme Court.
The National Revival Party supports the Liberal Democratic Party’s candidate, Mirziyoyev.
The election will be monitored 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 follow the election.
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