Independence:
1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992
Legal system:
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial
system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when
he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
December 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
approval of the Supreme Assembly
election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
- Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers
appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - 2002
amendment to the constitution creates a second chamber to be
established via elections in 2004
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20,
Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16,
local government 110, vacant 1
note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were
contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President
KARIMOV
elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be
held NA December 2004)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed
by the Supreme Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first
secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or
MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP
(formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALALOV, first secretary];
Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party
[Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary]; note - Fatherland Progress Party
merged with Self-Sacrificers Party
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom)
Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December
1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman];
Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abduhoshim GHAFUROV,
chairman]; Ezgulik [Vasilia INOYATOVA]