Splinter Democrat Faction to Stand in Election
Splinter Democrat Faction to Stand in Election
When the Democratic Party of Tajikistan announced it was boycotting the November presidential election, the justice ministry suddenly granted legal recognition to a splinter faction that does want to field a candidate. NBCentralAsia commentators say the government has acted to bump up the number of candidates standing against the incumbent Imomali Rahmonov now that the main opposition parties have opted not to take part.
The Democrats owe some of their popular support to their leader Mahmadruzi Iskandarov, even though he was given 23 years in jail after being convicted of a number of crimes in 2005.
Iskandarov’s supporters, who account for the bulk of the party’s members, recently announced a boycott of the ballot, as did the Social Democratic Party. They argued that the political environment was not right for holding an election, and accused authorities of violating the constitution and democratic standards.
After this, the justice ministry revised the list of parties that will be permitted to field candidates for the presidential ballot. Out went the Iskandarov-led party, to be replaced by a faction of the Democrats called Vatan and led by Masud Sobirov.
Sobirov was elected head of Vatan when the minority group convened a meeting in August. Even though Iskandarov’s people say the move lacked any legitimacy, Vatan nominated Tabarali Ziyoev as its candidate on September 17. Following the justice ministry’s September 29 decision, Ziyoev may now be recognised as the official |Democratic candidate by the Central Electoral Committee.
NBCentralAsia political analysts say the government decision has added tension to an election campaign that had been dampened by the withdrawal of the main opposition players. The authorities, they say, are trying to use the introduction of another presidential contender to depict the election as a model of pluralism and democracy.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
The Democrats owe some of their popular support to their leader Mahmadruzi Iskandarov, even though he was given 23 years in jail after being convicted of a number of crimes in 2005.
Iskandarov’s supporters, who account for the bulk of the party’s members, recently announced a boycott of the ballot, as did the Social Democratic Party. They argued that the political environment was not right for holding an election, and accused authorities of violating the constitution and democratic standards.
After this, the justice ministry revised the list of parties that will be permitted to field candidates for the presidential ballot. Out went the Iskandarov-led party, to be replaced by a faction of the Democrats called Vatan and led by Masud Sobirov.
Sobirov was elected head of Vatan when the minority group convened a meeting in August. Even though Iskandarov’s people say the move lacked any legitimacy, Vatan nominated Tabarali Ziyoev as its candidate on September 17. Following the justice ministry’s September 29 decision, Ziyoev may now be recognised as the official |Democratic candidate by the Central Electoral Committee.
NBCentralAsia political analysts say the government decision has added tension to an election campaign that had been dampened by the withdrawal of the main opposition players. The authorities, they say, are trying to use the introduction of another presidential contender to depict the election as a model of pluralism and democracy.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
