The first session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) shall be opened by its eldest member. Communist Party (CPT) leader Miroj Abdulloyev, 72, is the eldest member of the Majlisi Namoyandagon and he was supposed to open the session. But since he had a sore throat, Socialist Party (SPT) leader Abduhalim Ghafforov opened the first session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the sixth convocation that took place on March 17.
Ghafforov conducted the session until the chairperson of the Majlisi Namoyandagon was elected.
President Emomali Rahmon also addressed the first session of Majlisi Namoyandagon of the sixth convocation.
Muhammadtoir Zokirzoda, who had previously served as Deputy Prime Minster, was elected as new speaker of the Majlisi Namoyandagon.
The Chairperson of the Majlisi Namoyandagon is elected by secret ballot by a majority of the total number of its members.
During the first session, deputy chairpersons and heads of the Majlisi Namoyandagon permanent committees and commissions were also elected.
Mr. Mahmadali Vatanzoda, formerly Security Council Secretary, was elected as First Deputy Chairman of the Majlisi Namoynadagon.
Mr. Qodir Qosim, who had previously served as Head of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Tajikistan, was elected as Deputy Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon.
Ms. Dilrabo Mansouri, formerly member of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the previous convocation, was elected as Deputy Chairperson of the Majlisi Namoyandagon.
Recall, the parliamentary elections were held on March 1 and the voter turnout was reportedly more than 86 percent.
The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDPT) won parliamentary elections. 50.4 percent of the ballots cast supported the ruling People's Democratic Party, securing 47 seats in the 63-seat Majlisi Namoyandagon.
The Agrarian Party (APT), the Party of Economic Reforms (PER), the Socialist Party (SPT) and the Democratic Party (DPT) also won seats in the lower house of parliament.
The Agrarian Party secured 7 seats, the Party of Economic Reforms won five, and the Communist Party got two seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon.
The Democratic Party and the Socialist Party got one seat each by the party lists.
The Social-Democratic Party (SDPT) was unable to pass the 5 percent minimum barrier to get a seat in the legislature. The party has blamed it on Tajik authorities’ failure to hold free and fair elections.
Members of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) are directly elected for a five-year term according to a mixed majoritarian-proportional system. Of the 63 MPs, 41 are elected from single-mandate districts, with the winning candidate requiring a majority of votes cast. If no candidate receives a majority, a second round is held within two weeks between the two leading candidates. More than 50 per cent of registered voters must participate for the election to be valid; otherwise, repeat elections must be held.
The other 22 MPs are elected from a single nationwide district under a proportional, closed-list system with a five percent threshold.
