Uzbekistan votes on constitutional amendments on Sunday that promise its residents higher social protections in change for resetting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s time period rely to zero, which might enable him to remain in energy till 2040.
Mirziyoyev, 65, has been praised at residence and overseas as a liberal reformer for abandoning the earlier management’s isolationist insurance policies and police state method.
And whereas Tashkent’s Western companions are unlikely to approve of the try to increase presidential powers, Uzbekistan dangers little given the West is searching for assist from all ex-Soviet nations in its efforts to isolate Russia over its struggle in Ukraine.
Although the present and the proposed new model of the structure restrict successive presidential phrases to 2, officers have stated that if the revised structure is adopted, Mirziyoyev’s time period rely could be reset to zero.
The reform additionally extends the presidential time period to seven years from 5, which might in concept enable Mirziyoyev to stay answerable for the nation of 35 million individuals till 2040.
At the identical time, the bundle of amendments proclaims Uzbekistan a “social state” with elevated welfare obligations and permits non-farming land possession.
It additionally abolishes the loss of life penalty and establishes higher private authorized safety, as an example to an individual’s rights when they’re detained by police, and the idea of habeas corpus, or safety towards illegal and indefinite imprisonment.
“Our lives have been improving, and under this president it will continue, I hope,” stated 62-year-old voter Nazira who declined to present her final title. “I don’t mind and approve (presidential) terms being extended. I thank the president for what he is doing for us.”
Some Uzbek commentators have known as for extra democratic rules to be included within the invoice, and in stronger wording, however the common thought of reform – and increasing presidential powers particularly – has met no opposition.
“What I see is that the new changes will boost our rights and the openness (of the state),” stated one other voter, Abdurashid Kadirov, 65.
Patriotic music was performed at many polling stations on Sunday, some embellished with flowers and a few handing out baseball caps and T-shirts with the referendum emblem to first-time voters.
The referendum can be declared legitimate if over a half of Uzbekistan’s 19.7 million voters take part. Preliminary vote outcomes are anticipated on Monday.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
