The Election is Inevitable, and So are the Candidates. What about the Winner?

On May 8th of this year, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, will convene a meeting to discuss the referendum's results with the heads of the Oily majlis chambers, political parties, judicial and executive authorities, as well as public activists.

The president announced that he had signed a significant decree on the early presidential elections, utilizing the authority granted to the President in Article 128 of the revised Constitution.

"Naturally, one may wonder about the objective necessity behind such a decision.  Why am I voluntarily relinquishing the remaining three-and-a-half years of my presidential term? As you can see, in accordance with our Constitution, all branches of power are undergoing reforms, and the relationship and balance between them are undergoing reforms, and the relationship and balance between them are undergoing significant changes," says Mirziyoyev. 

The Head of State further emphasized that the new Constitution establishes new undeniable political, social, and economic tasks for the President, Parliament, Government, Ministers, and Governors.

According to the decree signed by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the press secretary of the President, Sherzod Asadov, announced that the election for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been scheduled for July 9th 2023. 

"In accordance with Articles 110 and 128 of the Constitution, and Article 66 of the Election Code, the election for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan is set to take place on July 9th 2023.  Let this Decree be sent to the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan," the decree states. 

The Central Election Commission announced the commencement of the campaign for the presidential election on May 10th. 

During the meeting, officials discussed the announcement of the election campaign and the approval of the Calendar plan for election preparation and execution.  The two-month calendar plan encompasses various key events, including 51 Clauses within 7 aspects of the election process.

By May 15th of this year, political parties are required to submit their documents to the Central Election Commission to participate in the election.  The period from May 17th to June 1st is designated for the nomination of presidential candidates. 

Abdushukur Khudoykulovich Khamzayev from the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan

On the 11th of May, the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan became the first party to introduce its candidate for the presidential election.  Abdushukur Khudoykulovich Khamzayev will be competing for the presidency as a representative of the Ecological Party. 

Abdushukur Khamzayev was born in 1973 in the Uzun district of the Surkhandarya region.  He graduated from the Samarkand Agricultural Institute in 1996 and later completed his studies at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2013.  He embarked on his professional journey as an agronomist at the "Namuna" collective farm in the Uzun district of Surkhandarya region.  Throughout his career, he held various positions such as teacher, deputy dean, and vice-rector at the Samarkand Agricultural Institute.  Since 2017, he has served as the deputy chairman of the State Forestry Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan.  

Ulugbek Ilyasovich Inoyatov from the People's Democratic Party

On May 12th, the candidate for the presidency of Uzbekistan from the People's Democratic Party was announced.  Ulugbek Ilyasovich Inoyatov, a member of the party, has been presented as the presidential candidate.

Inoyatov, born in 1962, completed his education at the Tashkent Polytechnic Institute in 1985 and the Tashkent Financial Institute in 1998.  From 1985 to 1993, he worked as an assistant at the Tashkent Polytechnic Institute.  Subsequently, he served as the deputy dean and dean of the Tashkent Institute of Architecture and Construction from 1993 to 1999, and as the director of the Tashkent College of Finance and Economics from 1999 to 2003.  From 2003-2006, he held the position of state adviser to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, followed by his appointment as the rector of the Tashkent State Pedagogical University from 2011 to 2013.  Between 2013 and 2018, he served as the Minister of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan.  In 2018 and 2019, he assumed the role of Rector at Namangan State University.  Since 2019, he has held the position of Chairman of the Central Council of People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, and since 2020, he has served as a deputy and deputy speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis. 

Robakhon Mahmudova Anvarovna from the Social-Democratic Party "Adolat"

On May 12th, the announcement was made regarding the third candidate for the presidency of Uzbekistan.  Robakhon Mahmudova Anvarovna, the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan, has been nominated as a presidential candidate from the social-democratic party "Adolat."

Robakhon Mahmudova, born in 1958 in the Fergana region, previously served as the director of the public reception office of the President of Uzbekistan in the Fergana region from 2017 to 2020.  In January 2020, she was elected as a Senator of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and assumed the position of Chairman of the Committee on Science, Education, and Health.  On July 13th 2020, she was elected as the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan by a decision of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis. Additionally, on March 6th 2020, she was honored with the Order "For Sacrifice" through a decree by President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

Upon presenting her candidacy for the presidency, Robakhon Mahmudova's judicial powers were suspended by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

According to the law, judges are prohibited from engaging in political activities.  Therefore, in accordance with Mahmudova's application and the court legislation, the Supreme Qualification Board of Judges made the decision to temporarily suspend her judicial powers as the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan and chairman of the administrative trial board.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev from the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan

The Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, a movement of entrepreneurs, announced its entry into the presidential race on May 12th, endorsing the current President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as its candidate.

Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev was born on July 24th 1957, in the Zomin district of the Jizzakh region.  He embarked on his career in 1981 at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, where he held various positions such as junior researcher, senior teacher, associate professor, and vice-rector for educational affairs.

In 1990, he was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Republic while simultaneously serving as the chairman of the Mandate Commission.  In 1992, he assumed the role of governor of the Mirzo Ulugbek district in Tashkent, followed by his tenure as governor of the Jizzakh region from 1996 to 2001.  From 2001 to 2003, he served as the governor of the Samarkand region.  In 2003, he became the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and was subsequently reappointed to the position in 2005, 2010, and 2015.  Following the passing of President Islam Karimov on September 2nd 2016, Mirziyoyev was appointed by the Oliy Majlis as the chairman of the commission for the funeral of the First President.  On September 8th 2016, Nigmatilla Yoldoshev, the Acting President and Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, recommend Mirziyoyev to temporarily assume the duties of the country's leader.  On October 19th 2016, during the VIII Congress of the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a member of the party's political council, was officially endorsed as a presidential candidate. 

On December 4th 2016, he was elected as the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, securing 88.61% of the voters' support.  Mirziyoyev put himself forward for a second term on October 4th 2021, and was re-elected as the president of Uzbekistan with 80.12% of the vote.

On May 13th, Alisher Kadyrov, the leader of the Democratic Party "Milliy Tiklanish," made an unexpected announcement.  According to a reporter from QALAMPIR.UZ who attended the "Milliy Tiklanish" party's plenary session, the party declared its decision not to participate in the upcoming presidential election.

Alisher Kadyrov stated, "Out of the 237 program goals set by the party in the previous parliamentary and presidential elections, 143 have been realized through the efforts of the current President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.  After consulting with all the party activists, I propose to support the current President, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, in the presidential election, alongside UzLiDep."

Kadyrov further emphasized the necessity of unity amidst today's challenges, saying, "We must unite firmly around the current President and find the most effective way to ensure the power of our homeland and the well-being of our people."

Therefore, Alisher Kadyrov has decided not to run as a candidate himself.  It is observed that these parties have formed a coalition in parliament as a democratic bloc, and this cooperation will now cooperation will now continue during the presidential elections.

During the presidential election held on October 24th 2021, 888, 515 people, accounting for 5.48% of the voters, supported the candidacy of Alisher Kadyrov.