DUSHANBE, November 10, 2014, Asia-Plus — The Party of Economic Reforms (PER) is expected to nominate 22 candidates for election to Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament.
“We intend to include 10 candidates in the party list and 12 candidates will run in single-mandate constituencies,” PER leader Olimjon Boboyev told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, the pre-election congress of the party that will take place in Dushanbe on December 13 will determine the candidates for participation in the 2015 parliamentary elections that will take place in Tajikistan in late February next year.
“We hope to form a group in new parliament,” PER leader said, noting that the party candidates will pay electoral fee themselves.
We will recall that Majlisi Namoyandagon on February 25 this year passed the law requiring amendments to the country’s law “On Elections to the Majlisi Oli of Tajikistan.” The law, in particular, provides for reducing the electoral deposit required from each candidate from 8,000 somoni to 4,000 somoni.
Boboyev further added that the party is currently working out its election program that will be based on a reform on the country’s economy.
The Party of Economic Reforms was established by Doctor of Sciences in Economic Olimjon Boboyev in autumn 2005. From the start, there have been strong allegations that the PER is a so-called “pocket party” loyal to the government and it was set up to create the idea of a multiparty-system and to distract the neutral and moderately-opposing voters from the real opposition. The problem-free registration of the party at the Ministry of Justice has justified these allegations, especially since most opposition parties face mounting problems over registration. Also, since its start, the PER has refused to participate in the opposition Coalition for Free and Fair Elections.
According to some sources, the PER now has some 20,000 members. In 2010, the PER won two seats in Majlisi Namoyandagon.
Like the Agrarian Party of Tajikistan (ARP) that was also registered with Ministry of justice in November 2005, Party of Economic Reforms is seen as a “pocket party.”
The PER has no clear ideology, but advocates for a genuine reform of the structure of the Tajik economy. The PER notes that such a reform is needed in order to support the growth of the economy, most noticeably in the manufacturing of finished products.
Tajikistan’s Parliament (Majlisi Oli) has two chambers: the Assembly of Representatives (Majlisi Namoyandagon) and the National Assembly (Majlisi Milli). Majlisi Namoyandagon has 63 members, elected for a five-year term in, 22 by proportional representation and 41 in single-seat constituencies. Majlisi Milli has 33 members, 25 elected for a five-year term by local legislature (majlis) members and eight appointed by the president.
