Improving the electoral system is an important demand of democracy in New Uzbekistan

The demand for transparent, fair and inclusive elections is growing year after year on the world political stage. Uzbekistan is not only observing these blizzards, but also actively changing its electoral landscape, laying the foundation for a more dynamic and active democracy.

Legal foundations of the electoral system

The highest legal basis of elections in the country is the Constitution of Uzbekistan, which is not only a legal document, but also a manifestation of democratic values.

The Constitution firmly enshrines the right of every citizen to participate in the electoral process, ensuring that no unjustified restrictions stifle this fundamental freedom. In particular, Article 128 of the Constitution clearly states that citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan have the right to elect and be elected to representative bodies of state power, the right to vote, equality and freedom of expression of their will are guaranteed by law

Another key document is the Election Code, adopted in 2019, which testifies to the development of Uzbekistan’s democratic ideology. This document embodies the life-affirming democratic idea “The interests of the individual are above all else.”

It emphasizes the priority of human interests, protects the rights of voters and candidates, creates a fair and free electoral environment, and regulates all stages of the electoral process.

Institutional foundations of the electoral system

Important political processes in the life of Uzbekistan – presidential elections, elections to the Oliy Majlis, elections to local councils, the organization and conduct of referendums – are carried out by the system of election commissions.

The system of election commissions includes the Central Election Commission (CEC), regional election commissions, district and city election commissions, district election commissions, precinct election commissions.

The CEC is not only the organizer of elections, but also the custodian of the democratic process. Its members work tirelessly to ensure that every election is free and fair.

Electoral system modernization: historic leap

In 2023, major changes are taking place in Uzbekistan’s electoral legislation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this is a great positive turning point in the history of the country.

In particular, on December 18, 2023, through amendments and additions to the Electoral Code and seven laws, a mixed electoral system was introduced in the formation of the lower house of parliament in our country. This, in turn, means that the elections will be held in a completely new socio-political environment.

A mixed electoral system is a democratic electoral system that combines two majority-proportional electoral systems.

In the elections held in our country on October 27 this year, for the first time, 75 deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis were elected directly on the basis of a majority system, that is, by voting for the right candidates themselves, and the remaining 75 deputies were elected on the basis of a proportional system – voting for political parties.

Looking at the experience of foreign countries, many countries, including South Korea, Belgium, Hungary, Germany, and others, have a mixed electoral system.

Secondly, in previous elections, a candidate who received a 50+1 or higher vote was legally elected to the parliament, and among strong competitors, it was difficult for candidates to achieve this result. As a result, the second round of elections had to be held automatically. For the two candidates with the highest number of votes from one constituency, another election was held. This led to excessive time, expense, and voter anxiety.

To eliminate such situations, the principle of “relative majority” was used in this year’s elections. Its meaning is that the candidate with the most votes is elected from several candidates vying for the same seat.

Thirdly, the issue of introducing digital technologies into the electoral system has been further expanded. The “E-Saylov” system has been launched. As a result, the consideration and response to appeals were quickly carried out in electronic form.

This system includes information about more than 130 thousand members of election commissions, more than 30 thousand candidates for deputies and their programs, about 70 thousand local and international observers, about 1200-1300 local and foreign media workers.

Fourth, there was a rule that at least 30 percent of the candidates nominated by political parties in the last election were women. In this year’s elections, women made up at least 40 percent of the list of candidates nominated by each mandated constituency and political parties. In this case, two out of every five candidates in the list were women.

Fifth, the legal status of the Central Election Commission has been strengthened in the new edition of the Constitution. According to it, the Central Election Commission, leading the entire electoral system, now organized elections not only for the elections to the Legislative Chamber, but also for the elections to local Kengashes for the first time.

Technological Progress: Introducing a New Digital Democracy

In today’s rapidly developing world, special attention should be paid to improving the electoral system and further deepening democratic principles.

In the 21st century, the main directions for improving the quality and transparency of elections remain inextricably linked to information technologies.

Electronic voting has already been introduced in leading countries around the world, including the United States, Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, and Estonia. From their experience, it is known that information technologies serve as an important tool for accelerating the electoral process and achieving accuracy of results.

For example, in Estonia, it is possible to vote online in parliamentary or local elections. They give their votes through a special online platform using microchip ID cards.

From this perspective, it is necessary to gradually introduce online voting mechanisms into national practice.

Nevertheless, the result is a great responsibility. The transition to online voting creates a need to protect against cyber threats. Ensuring the security and confidentiality of the electoral process is important because any violation could undermine public trust in the democratic system.

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Source: Amirullo Tukhliboyev, Chief Research Officer of the Institute of Parliamentary Studies under the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan