DUSHANBE, June 6, 2016, Asia-Plus – The board (Shuro) of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament discussed amendments proposed to the country’s presidential/parliamentary elections laws at a June 6 meeting, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov.
Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, says the board also discussed amendments proposed by the government to the country’s laws on local governments, appeals of physical and legal entities, and on publishing activities.
Meanwhile, Abdurahim Kholiqzoda, the head of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on State Construction and Local Government, says the amendments proposed to the laws on presidential/parliamentary elections and local governments “proceed from the constitutional referendum that took place in the country on May 22.”
According to him, the amendments proposed to the laws on presidential/parliamentary elections and local governments “are aimed at eliminating differences between the mentioned laws and other laws of Tajikistan.”
We will recall that the constitutional referendum that took place on May 22 included 40 proposed amendments and voters could either vote “yes” or “no” to the package of amendments. It was not possible to vote on individual amendments.
The most important proposed amendments included eliminating the term limit for incumbent President Emomali Rahmon, lowering the age of eligibility to become president, and banning the creation of political parties based on religion.
The term-limit amendment applies only to Emomali Rahmon, who owns the status of the “Leader of the Nation.”
The amendment lowering the presidential age limit from 35 to 30 would allow Rahmon’s 29-year-old son, Rustam Emomali, to stand at the next presidential elections, scheduled for 2020.
The minimum age requirement for candidates for parliament, and positions in the constitutional court, has also been lowered to 30 from 35.
