The Central Commission for the elections and referendums of Tajikistan (CCER) A announcement The preliminary results of the elections of the lower room of the country’s parliament, held on March 2, 2025.
Majlisi Namoyandagon of Tajikistan is made up of 63 deputies elected for a five -year term. As part of the country’s electoral system, 41 deputies are elected in the districts to a single member, while 22 are chosen from a list of national political parties.
The Popular Democratic Party of Tajikistan, the party of the president who historically dominates the elections, received 2.43 million votes, representing 51.9% of the votes and obtained 12 of the 22 seats available through party lists. 986,000, or 21%, voted for the agrarian party of Tajikistan, giving it five seats, while the Party of Economic Reforms obtained three seats after receiving 595,000 votes, which is equivalent to 12.7%. The Democratic Party of Tajikistan and the Socialist Party of Tajikistan received around 250,000 votes, or 5%, each, which led to three seats for the two parties. Only 89,000 people, or 1.9%, voted for the Tadjikistan Communist Party, which therefore failed to obtain seats.
The Tajikistan Popular Democratic Party found itself with 49 of the 63 seats in the lower room, reflecting a dominant performance typical for the country’s power party.
In total, 3,500 electoral sites were created nationally, with 36 additional polling stations set up in the diplomatic missions of Tajikistan in 28 countries to accommodate citizens abroad. According to the CCER, 4.7 million people, or 85.3%, out of a total of 5.5 million eligible voters participated in the elections – a questionable number, given a generalized political apathy in Tajikistan, the lack of promotion surrounding the elections and the moment of the Muslim elections during the sacred Muslim month of Ramadan, which probably reduced dark traffic.
The elections were declared valid and successful by the government, the president of the CCER, Bakhtiyor Khudoyorzoda, declaring that “the elections took place openly and transparently, freely and alternatively, and the majority of voters participated with a feeling of high civic responsibility”.
The results of the elections of March 2 are difficult to verify independently.
Tadjikistan remains One of the most limited and undemocratic countries in the world, having been dominated since 1992 by President Emomali Rahmon, his family, and the Democratic Party of Tajikistan. Despite the reception of independent Western observers, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to supervise its electoral processes since 2000, Tadjikistan has always faced considerable criticism concerning the lack of transparency and equity after each presidential and parliamentary election. Electoral observation missions in Tajikistan have long product Unproductive reports, in which attempts to adhere to technical electoral requirements coincide with conclusions on a lack of credibility and transparency, coupled with advice ravishly optimistic to a government which has never intended to comply.
The March 2 elections were the first of a quarter of a century that did not include independent Western observers. The OSCE office for democratic institutions and human rights (ODIHR) canceled Its electoral observation mission only two weeks after its initiation due to the inability to obtain insurance from the Tajikes authorities concerning the accreditation of international observers. And although the ODIHR said that it “will continue to support Tajikistan in the implementation of the commitments it has made to strengthen democracy and human rights”, it is obvious that Dushanbe is not particularly interested.
Independent media representatives, including the Tajik service of RFE / RL, Radio Ozodi; BBC; and Asia-Plus, were also unaccredited To cover the March 2 elections. Although the electoral law forcing media accreditation requirements is announced publicly and well in advance, procedures and deadlines to obtain the necessary permits were only displayed on an internal page of the CCER website, and the media have not been officially informed.
The five parties that participated in the elections alongside the Tajikistan Popular Democratic Party are only nominally oppositional. The real opposition to Dushanbe was not allowed to participate, and its members, almost all based outside Tajikistan, have now have declared March 2 and illegitimate elections. Sharofiddin Gadoev, president of the movement for reform and development based in Amsterdam, challenged the participation rate, alleging that only 300,000 people participated in the vote of the ballots. Group leader 24, prohibited in Tajikistan, also condemned the elections.
The long -awaited transition from the power of the 72 -year -old Rahmon to his son Rustam, the mayor of Dushanbe and the president of the Parliament, also adds the desire of the regime to prevent any independent examination and opposition when he consolidates support for the apparent heir.