No real opposition in Uzbekistan's parliamentary elections — EU

The European External Action Service (EEAS) issued an assessment of Uzbekistan's parliamentary elections held on October 27, stating that voters "did not have a real choice." This evaluation, shared on October 28, follows the preliminary findings of the OSCE Election Observation Mission.

"Although Uzbekistan's electoral framework has shown gradual development and technical improvements, the political environment remains restrictive, limiting voters' choices. While the EU acknowledged recent legislative reforms that facilitated voting for people with disabilities and ensured that at least 40% of seats in parliament would be occupied by women, it emphasized that only government-approved parties participated in the election, effectively excluding opposition voices," stated in the EU statement.

The EU also noted reports from the OSCE on numerous violations and procedural issues that affected the transparency and integrity of the election process.

The EU stressed the need for further investment in democratic practices, encouraging future elections to allow independent candidates and foster a climate where public debate and dissent are protected.

The EU expressed its willingness to support Uzbekistan's democratic reform efforts, particularly the full implementation of OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.

In the election results, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) secured 64 out of 150 seats in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis. Other seats were divided among “Milliy Tiklanish” with 29, “Adolat” with 21, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) with 20, and the Ecological Party with 16. The Central Election Commission reported a 74.72% voter turnout.