Uzbek President re-elected for seven-year term

TASHKENT: Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was re-elected with 87.1% of the vote, the Central Election Commission said on Monday, citing preliminary results paving his way to another seven years in power.

Mirziyoyev, who has lead Central Asia’s most populous nation since 2016, called a snap election after changing the constitution through a referendum which reset his term count and extended the presidential term to seven years from five.

The 65-year-old president has opened up the country to foreign trade and investment while also easing restrictions on religious and political freedoms.

Three other candidates ran in the election, but all represented parties that support the president.

“Uzbekistan’s early presidential election was technically well prepared but lacked genuine competition,” observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in a statement.

Mirziyoyev’s key task will now be navigating through the regional crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has disrupted supply chains across the former Soviet Union and put a stress on diplomatic relations.

Since the start of the war, Tashkent has sought to maintain ties with both Russia, a former Soviet overlord and traditional partner, and the West.

Uzbekistan has called for peace and refused to recognise the independence of pro-Russian statelets in eastern Ukraine.

Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif has extended heartiest congratulations to Shavkat Mirziyoyev on his re-election as President of Uzbekistan.            

In a tweet, he said Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s electoral victory is reflective of the trust that people of Uzbekistan repose in his leadership.

The prime minister said he looks forward to working with the Uzbek President to further build on Pakistan-Uzbekistan bilateral relations for the benefit of the  two friendly countries.