Uzbekistan’s 2024 Parliamentary Overhaul promises a digital democracy, empowered citizens, and an inclusive governance for a brighter future.
Uzbekistan is embarking on a comprehensive overhaul of its parliamentary and legal systems to empower citizens, modernize governance, strengthen oversight, and build a sustainable democratic future. Since 2016, the country has introduced extensive political, economic, and social reforms to foster citizen empowerment, especially among women and youth.
This transformation, culminating with the October 2024 parliamentary elections, is the first under Uzbekistan’s new Constitution, marking a crucial step in the nation’s evolution toward a more inclusive and responsive state.
According to a leading researcher at the Institute of Legislation and Legal Policy, Dr. Akilov Alimjon Rakhimovich, Uzbekistan’s new vision—often called “New Uzbekistan”—places human rights at its core, embracing the principle that “the state serves the person.” This philosophy drives Uzbekistan’s current reforms, aimed at building a governance model that is inclusive, citizen-centered, and committed to transparency and democratic values.
A key milestone in these reforms was the 2019 introduction of a unified Electoral Code, consolidating previous legislation into a coherent framework that aligns with global democratic standards. This code embodies core principles like universal suffrage, equal voting rights, direct elections, secret ballots, and freedom of choice.
Notably, it removed restrictions on voting for citizens with minor offenses, extended support for disabled voters, and introduced the “E-Saylov” digital system, enabling electronic management of voter registration and candidate data. This innovation promotes transparency and allows voters to support multiple candidates, creating a more open political landscape.
“Our institute supports this shift by ensuring that legal and administrative frameworks prioritize citizens’ rights and align with the broader goal of democratic governance,” says Alimjon.
According to Alimjon, this guiding philosophy underpins Uzbekistan’s development strategies, which are designed to protect citizens’ rights through a legislative overhaul that underscores transparency, accountability, and individual empowerment.
Central to Uzbekistan’s reform agenda is enhancing the structure and function of the Oliy Majlis, or Parliament, consisting of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate.
Updates include expanding the exclusive powers of the Legislative Chamber from five to twelve, including authority over Prime Ministerial appointments, and restructuring the Senate by reducing its members from 100 to 65 to improve efficiency.
“The restructuring of the Senate and the Legislative Chamber reflects international standards and the need for a responsive, streamlined governance system. This allows for a more equitable representation of our regions and a stronger framework for regional coordination,” says Alimjon.
Further, the Senate’s control functions have been redistributed to streamline oversight. The Legislative Chamber now has authority over budget execution and Cabinet reports, while the Senate focuses on regional representation.
Additionally, the Senate now elects key officials for anti-corruption and regulatory bodies and plays a greater role in overseeing law enforcement and intelligence. To support parliamentary autonomy, both chambers can now dissolve themselves with a two-thirds majority, a provision inspired by practices in countries like Austria and Poland.
Alimjon emphasized, “By empowering both chambers with self-dissolution rights, we reinforce parliamentary independence, ensuring a system that can adapt and self-regulate according to the people’s needs.”
These reforms are part of the Uzbekistan-2030 Strategy, a national initiative to make governance more transparent and citizen-centered. Digitization of parliamentary processes, direct communication channels for citizens, and mechanisms for proposing legislative changes encourage a participative political system.
As Uzbekistan heads toward the elections, the government is optimistic that these reforms will reflect the will of the people and foster democratic development.
“These changes are about building a governance model that genuinely serves the people, empowering them to play an active role in their country’s future”, says Alimjon.
The upcoming elections are expected to solidify Uzbekistan’s journey toward an open, inclusive society where governance is increasingly responsive to citizens’ needs.
