Ministers fail to secure parliamentary seats following Uzbekistan's recent elections

In the recent elections held on October 27 for deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and local councils, several high-profile ministers were nominated by political parties. However, the official list published by the Central Election Commission confirms that none of them secured a parliamentary seat.

Among the candidates were Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev, representing the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP); Hilola Umarova, Minister of Preschool and School Education; Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Minister of Culture, from the National Revival Democratic Party; Akbar Tashkulov, Minister of Justice, from the Adolat Social Democratic Party; Zulayho Mahkamova, Prime Minister; Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies; and Aziz Abduhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, who represented the Ecological Party.

Additionally, Senate Chairman Tanzila Norboyeva, Youth Affairs Agency Director Alisher Sadullayev, Family and Women's Committee Chairperson Ozoda Parpiboyeva, and Anti-Corruption Agency Director Akmal Burkhanov were also nominated by various parties for parliamentary and local council seats.

However, none of these prominent candidates were elected.

The election saw the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP) emerge victorious, securing 64 of the 150 seats in the Legislative Chamber, followed by the National Revival Party with 29 seats, Adolat with 21 seats, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) with 20 seats, and the Ecological Party with 16 seats. Voter turnout reached 74.72 percent, according to the Central Election Commission.

Earlier, social media was abuzz with reports claiming that Ministers Ozodbek Nazarbekov and Hilola Umarova had vacated their posts to assume deputy roles. However, the press offices of both ministries denied these claims when QALAMPIR.UZ connected to clarify the situation, with Umarova explicitly stating that she declined the deputy position and would continue her duties within the ministry.