17 January 2005 -- The Uzbek Central Election Commission today said a pro-presidential party won the 26 December parliamentary elections.
According to the final results, the Liberal Democratic Party won 41 of the 120 seats in the legislature's lower house, followed by another pro-government party, the People's Democratic Party, with 33 seats.
Five parties fielded more than 500 candidates for the seats in the Oliy Majlis. All five parties support President Islam Karimov's policies.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which observed the vote, said the vote fell significantly short of democratic standards. None of Uzbekistan's opposition parties are officially recognized and they could not participate in the election.
Karimov, a former communist boss, has ruled this country with an iron hand since before the collapse of the Soviet Union.
(AP)
[For more RFE/RL coverage and analysis of the elections in Uzbekistan, click here.]
Five parties fielded more than 500 candidates for the seats in the Oliy Majlis. All five parties support President Islam Karimov's policies.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which observed the vote, said the vote fell significantly short of democratic standards. None of Uzbekistan's opposition parties are officially recognized and they could not participate in the election.
Karimov, a former communist boss, has ruled this country with an iron hand since before the collapse of the Soviet Union.
(AP)
[For more RFE/RL coverage and analysis of the elections in Uzbekistan, click here.]