TAJIKISTAN’S NEW ELECTIONS GIVE HOPE FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES

The start of the millennium finds the
Republic of Tajikistan at a period of self-searching, of political compromise, and
hopefully of consolidating peace in society. It is also a period of activity by political
parties and other social organizations that may further the development of democracy in
the country. On 27 February and 23 March, 2000, elections to the Supreme Legislature
(Majlisi Oli) and local representative organs, the Majlisi Milli (Upper House) and Majlisi
Namoyandagon (Lower House) will be held. These elections will give further evidence that
the Tajikistan government is following through on promised political reforms to unite the
country that are connected with peace agreements that ended the Tajkistan civil war. The
elections will produce the first full-time professional parliament in Central Asia.

The new constitutional laws on elections went into effect on 10 October 1999. They
provide wide opportunities for legislative initiatives and the law-making activities of
Tajikistan’s political parties. All six of the registered political parties are
taking part in the elections. These include the Democratic Party, Adolat
("Justice") Party, Islamic Renaissance Party, People's – Democratic Party,
Communist Party, and Socialist Party. The parties have equal footing in the elections.
Each party has its own agenda and they differ on many significant points reflected in
their party platform rules.

There are a total of 96 members in the Supreme Legislature (Majlisi Oli) that is
divided into an Upper House and a Lower House. The Upper House (Majlisi Milli), has 33
members. The Lower House (Majlisi Namoyandagon) has a total of 63 representatives, One
representative is elected in each of the 41 electoral districts. The other 22 seats are
elected by the parties and apportioned based on the percentage each party receives during
the popular vote. The 41 electoral districts are grouped into five larger regional
districts called "oblasts." On 27 February, elections for representatives to the
five Oblast Councils will be held. On 23 March, elections for the 33 representatives of
the Upper House will take place. In the elections for the Upper House, representatives of
the five Oblast Councils will elect 75% of the Upper House representatives and President
Rakhmanov will appoint the remaining 25%.

All members of the government, including Ministers and their deputies, must resign from
their positions two months before the election so as to preclude candidates from using
their office for political gain. The same holds true for heads of state commissions,
companies, associations, corporations and their deputies, including the General
Prosecutor, law court officials and all bank personnel. A candidate to both houses of the
Supreme Legislature must be a citizen of Tajikistan for no less than five years and is
eligible for candidacy regardless of sex, ethnicity, religious belief, or party
affiliation. All candidates to both houses must at least have a four-year college
education. Candidates to the Lower House must be at least 25 years old, while candidates
to the Upper House must be at least 35 years old.

Yakobjon Abdukhalikov, ACTR Fellow,

Central Asia-Caucasus Institute,

The Johns Hopkins University--SAIS