Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev secures second term in a landslide victory

The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been re-elected for a second five-year term by winning 80.1% of the vote in a poll held on October 24, 2021. However, as per the western observers, the poll was not truly competitive despite the improvements brought by the recent reforms.

Uzbek leader’s widely expected victory will allow him to deepen his reform campaign and will also likely lead to Uzbekistan opening up further to foreign trade and investment- while also retaining a highly centralized political system.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev also spoke to the campaign staff and the reporters shortly after the result announcements. He said, “I am grateful to and bow in front of our mothers, sisters, daughters, fellow party members for trusting and choosing me.”

Shavkat Mirziyoyev was declared the winner of the presidential elections, receiving 80.1% votes. The event of the Liberal-Democratic Party to mark the announcement of the preliminary election results was held at the «Humo Arena».#Mirziyoyev #elections2021 #victory pic.twitter.com/hD4IPv6UvD

— Shavkat Mirziyoyev's Press-service (@president_uz) October 25, 2021

Reforms by Mirziyoyev

• President Mirziyoyev has been credited with launching, what he calls a ‘New Uzbekistan Programme’, ending a decade-old system of forced labour with the roots in the former Soviet Union. He also introduced limited media freedom.

• He also lifted some of the restrictions on the religious practices, reined in the powerful security services, and overseen the release of some of the political prisoners.

• Mirziyoyev is credited for rebuilding the resource-rich country’s ties with the West and Russia.

• He also pledged to cut poverty through the rapid economic growth and gradually decentralize the decision-making devolving some powers to the district councils.

No pluralistic environment yet

Even though the political reforms have been introduced, the Observers for Security and Cooperation in Europe noted that the recent reforms had not yet resulted in a genuinely pluralistic movement.

The Observation Mission in a statement said, “While multiple candidates contested the elections, there was no meaningful engagement with each other or with the voters, and candidates refrained from challenging or criticizing the incumbent.”

Background

Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been serving as the President of Uzbekistan and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan since 2016. From 2003 to 2016, he was the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan.

After the death of President Karimov, Mirziyoyev was appointed by the Supreme Assembly as an interim President in 2016. He was later elected to a full term as President in December 2016 Presidential elections, winning 88.6% of the vote.

In the elections held on October 24, 2021, Mirziyoyev secured a second term as the President of Uzbekistan with a landslide victory.