Shavkat Mirziyoyev intends to run for president for a third time

The Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan has announced the admission of political parties to participate in the early presidential elections of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

On May 16, 2023, the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan decided to allow five political parties currently operating in the country to participate in the upcoming early presidential elections. This was reported by the press service of the CEC of Uzbekistan.

According to the head of the CEC, “authorized representatives of the parties will be issued registration certificates and standard forms for signature sheets.”

It is reported that the current president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, will also participate in the early presidential elections. According to the CEC, the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan and the Democratic Party “Milliy Tiklanish” (“National Revival”) are jointly nominating Shavkat Mirziyoyev as their presidential candidate.

The People’s Democratic Party intends to propose its leader Ulugbek Inoyatov for this position, the Ecological Party – its chairman Abdushukur Hamzaev, and the Social Democratic Party “Adolat” (“Justice”) – the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan Robakhon Mahmudova.

Earlier, on May 8, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree to hold early elections for the head of state.

Experts believe that in undemocratic countries, including those in Central Asia, holding early elections, especially during the second presidential term of the current head of state, is a sign of a tendency towards dictatorship.