Political Party System

Formation of a multi-party system in Uzbekistan has a number of specific features caused by the following circumstances:

• no tradition for multi-party system;
• no civil society in Uzbekistan;
• deliberate attempts of the authorities to constrain political pluralism.

The results of these disadvantages are the following:

• The sphere of influence of political parties does not excide large cities, first of all the capital.
• Agendas and principles of political parties on official record is very close to each other’s making it difficult to identify them and build a typology.
• Opposition political forces are ousted from the systematic political arena.

Major Political Parties of Uzbekistan

There are just five political parties on official record in Uzbekistan:

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL REBIRTH PARTY (MILLY TIKLANISH)

FIDOKORLAR NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF UZBEKISTAN (LDPU) - E–mail:

PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP)

SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC PARTY (ADOLAT)

Regarding to relations with the Uzbek authorities political parties position themselves as pro-governmental and sometimes even as pro-presidential. It is also significant that members of the Legislative Chamber at the same time hold important offices in various bodies of the executive branch. This is what makes it available for the executive power to be in full control of political parties.

Opposition Parties

All Uzbek opposition parties –Birlik, Erk, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan – are banned, except for Ozod Dehkon (Free Peasants) party, which is not registered. Official Uzbek propaganda emphasizes their connections to radical Islamism, although Birlik and Erk are rather nationalist parties and Ozod Dehkon is a secular peasant’s party.

Ozod Dehkon was established in the end of 2003. The estimated number of party members is about 100 000, mainly the inhabitants of Farg’ona Viloyati, although precise information is unavailable. The party is headed by Nigara Khidoyatova. Ideological leader of the party is Babur Malikov (lives in the USA). The party declares objectives practically the same to what officially registered parties of Uzbekistan declare, but what makes it different from the other parties it is support for dismissal of the current officials within the constitutional framework.