DUSHANBE, November 18, 2014, Asia-Plus — The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s organization in the Mastchoh district (Sughd province) elected President Emomali Rahmon, who is also PDP leader, as its delegate for the pre-election congress of the party, Usmon Soliyev, the head of the PDP public relations department, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“To-date, the party organizations in all regions, except Dushanbe and Khatlon province, have elected delegates for 12th congress of the party that will take place in Dushanbe on December 13,” Soliyev said.
According to him, more than 1,200 delegates are expected to attend the congress, which will review the results of the past twenty years’ work and improve the list of the party candidates for the lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament.
The ruling party is expected to include 22 candidates in the party list and its candidates will run in all 41 single mandate constituencies.
Founded in 1994, the People’s Democratic Party is the largest political party in Tajikistan, boasting some 250,000 registered members. President Emomali Rahmon is chairman of the party.
At the legislative elections, February 27 and March 13, 2005, the party won 74% of the popular vote and 52 out of 63 seats. This was an increase from the 2000 elections, in which they won 64.9% of the vote and 38 seats. At the last legislative elections, February 28, 2010, the party won 71.69% of the popular vote and 45 out of 63 seats.
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 majlis members and eight appointed by the president.
