Officials in Uzbekistan say President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been reelected with a stunning margin of victory. The snap election was called after constitutional changes that cemented Mirziyoyev's grip on power.
Preliminary election results on Monday show Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev winning a third term in power with 87.1% of the vote.
The result should see the 65-year-old leader consolidate power until at least 2030 after changes to the constitution that extend his term of office. ...
Mirziyoyev, a trained engineer, has positioned himself as a reformer creating a "New Uzbekistan."
He has said he wants to double gross domestic product to $160 billion (€146 billion) and centered his reelection campaign on the economy and education.
Mirziyoyev says he plans to open up tourism and investment in the former Soviet Republic, which with a population of 35 million is Central Asia's most populous country.
He called the snap election immediately after the constitutional changes that also allow the president to serve two more terms in office, meaning he could retain power until 2037.
NGOs say the human rights situation has improved in the country under Mirziyoyev compared with his predecessor, longtime dictator Islam Karimov.
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