Uzbek Constitutional Referendum

May 3, 2023

Recently, an overwhelming majority of Uzbekistan’s electorate voted in favor of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s proposal to revise the country’s Constitution, which pledged to provide more rights to the citizens of the ex-Soviet republic and may allow the President to exceed his present two-term cap. 90.21% of the voters supported the changes, while 9.35% voted ‘No’, with a turnout of 84.54%.

Valid Referendum and Political Parties

To be considered valid in Uzbekistan, at least 50% of the voters must cast their ballots. The Election Commission declared the referendum valid as voters turned out in large numbers across the country.

Doubts on Fairness of Referendum

International election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) raised doubts on the fairness of the referendum process. While the voting was technically well-prepared and widely promoted as a move to enhance various rights and freedoms, it took place in an environment that fell short of genuine political pluralism and competition.

Changes in the Constitution

The proposed changes in the Constitution include extending the presidential term to seven years with a two-term limit, introducing language discouraging the state from harming the rights and freedoms of people and citizens, adding rights/protections for the accused, making all laws exempting or mitigating punishment for an offense retroactive, and more.

Maximum Number of Years in Power

President Mirziyoyev is currently serving his second term, which would expire in 2026. However, the new Constitution would reset his terms so that he can contest again for two more terms (14 years in total), which means he could theoretically stay in power until 2040.

Media Freedoms and Women’s Rights

The new Constitution promises more media freedoms, and under Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has relaxed Soviet-era censorship. However, self-censorship by media owners and editors is still prevalent, and journalists remain skeptical about the implementation of the new Constitution. Women’s rights and gender equality are also emphasized in the new Constitution, with more power given to women, including the ability to prosecute men who practice physical abuse for up to 12 years.

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