The political ruling elite of Uzbekistan amended or reformed the Constitution to cater to the interests of all segments of the population at the beginning of the year. The reformers claimed these amendments would immensely transform the country into a New Uzbekistan. Under these reforms in the Constitution, the government of Uzbekistan has to chalk out and execute a people-centered strategy to increase human welfare and sustainable growth in the country.
Since his reelection in 2021, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been pursuing his reform agenda to democratize the governance system and, during his inauguration speech after his reelection in October 2021, categorically stated that a reset was required. He constituted the Constitutional Reform Commission with 47 members to initiate a national dialogue process to revise the Constitution. Based on tens of thousands of Uzbek citizens’ opinions or recommendations, the Commission changed the Constitution, with an initial draft published in June 2022.
The draft of the 27 amendments was presented in the Oliy Majlis– Uzbekistan’s bicameral Parliament. On March 15, 2023, the upper house, named Senate, and the lower house Legislative, approved the amendments. Subsequently, the amendments ratified by the Oliy Majlis were presented for the people’s vote in a nationwide referendum held on April 30, 2023. According to Uzbekistan’s elections commission, over 90% of citizens endorsed the amendments to the Constitution.
The primary focus of the new amendments was the socio-economic development of the people. It was clearly documented that State is responsible for ensuring societal security and maximizing citizens’ economic prosperity. Besides, these amendments promise to strengthen individual rights and media freedom in Uzbekistan. Another essential feature of the reforms in the Constitution was the President’s tenure. The presidential term was extended from five to seven years, and it also created an option for the incumbent President to run for two more terms after the end of his current tenure.
The Parliament’s powers were also consolidated in the new Constitution to ensure the function of the system of checks and balances between the different organs of the State. For instance, the number of exclusive powers of the Legislative Chamber has been increased from the current 5 to 12, and the Senate – from 14 to 18.
Although the people of Uzbekistan voted in favor of constitutional amendments, the forthcoming Presidential election seems significant for determining whether the recent amendments in the Constitution are irreversible or whether the people of Uzbekistan are not satisfied with these reforms. Hence, the people can elect a reformer of the Constitution—the current President or his opponent. If the incumbent President secures the next seven years’ tenure, he will execute these amendments in letter and spirit. If another party won the snap presidential elections scheduled on July 09, 2023, the fate of a few reforms could be under scrutiny.
The Eleventh Congress of the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businesspeople – the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) was held on May 30, 2023. The delegates of the Congress unanimously nominated the incumbent President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev as a candidate for the Presidential elections from the party scheduled to be held on July 09, 2023. The supporters of Mr. Shavkat opined that he, as the head of the State, has ensured the democratic norms and values in Uzbekistan, such as human rights and freedoms, the rule of law, openness and transparency, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and belief, public control, gender equality, inviolability of private property, and freedom of economic activity.
The critical review of President Shavkat’s government’s policies since he won the snap election in December 2016, after the death of President Islam Karimov, reveals that he is a strong presidential candidate in the next snap election scheduled on July 9, 2023. For instance, he has brought considerable positive change to Uzbekistan’s foreign policy aimed at promoting regional cooperation in Central Asia and broadening its scope by inking an agreement with Afghanistan and Pakistan to construct a railway track from Uzbekistan via Afghanistan to Pakistan’s international newly built seaport Gwadar. The railway track would facilitate trade among the three countries. Besides, he has improved media freedom, a prerequisite for the smooth functioning of the democratic political system.
Currently, President Shavkat seems enthusiastic about making Uzbekistan a people-centered welfare state. This objective was documented in his political party’s manifesto. For instance, the UzLiDeP manifesto underscores that it would implement a new program to bring preschool and school education 100% by 2030. The Government of Uzbekistan will bear all the expenses for kindergartens and children from low-income families. Moreover, the government plan to ug improve the healthcare system to increase the average life expectancy from 73 to 78 years.
Many political observers have a consensus that the incumbent President Shavkat will win the snap presidential election because his vision of a ‘New Uzbekistan,’ accentuating the rule of law, social guarantees, economic reform, political governance, and culture, has gained immense praise among the people.
To conclude, the snap presidential election’s outcome will have a lasting impact on the society and the State of Uzbekistan.
*Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal is an Islamabad-based analyst, professor, and Director at the School of Politics and International Relations Quaid-i-Azam University. E-mail: jaspal_99@hotmail.com Twitter: @zafar_jaspal
