These will be the seventh elections since our republic gained independence. We decided to look back at the history of parliamentary elections in the country, the parties that participated in them, and also to gather information about the composition of the six previous parliaments.
1995. A parliament of non-party candidates
The first parliamentary elections in Tajikistan took place on February 26, 1995, at a time when the country was still experiencing a civil war, and not all regions were at peace.
At that time, candidates competed for 181 seats in parliament. Four political parties participated in the elections: the Communist Party, the People's Party (now the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, NDPT), the Party of National Unity and Reconciliation, and the Party for Economic and Political Renewal.
The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, or IRPT (currently banned in Tajikistan), the Democratic Party, the People’s Movement "Rastokhez," and the "Lali Badakhshan" Movement, which were part of the alliance of opposition forces in Tajikistan, were not allowed to participate in the elections.
In the 1995 parliamentary elections, non-party candidates formed the majority, and a second round of voting took place on March 12, 1995, in 20 electoral districts.
Election results:
- Non-party candidates – 113 seats
- The Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT) – 60 seats
- The People's Party of Tajikistan – 5 seats
- The Party of National Unity and Reconciliation of Tajikistan – 2 seats
- The Party for Economic and Political Renewal of Tajikistan – 1 seat
It is worth noting that the first parliament of the country was considered one of the most open and diverse in Tajikistan’s history, as it included various political forces and mainly consisted of independent candidates, many of whom were scholars and respected figures. It was also called the "Parliament of Commanders" since dozens of its deputies were well-known commanders of the civil war.
2000. The first elections to the new parliament
The 2000 parliamentary elections were the second in the country's history and the first after the end of the civil war. By then, a peace agreement had been signed, and Tajikistan’s parliament had been structured into two chambers: the upper house (Majlisi Milli) and the lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon). The Majlisi Milli had 33 members, while the Majlisi Namoyandagon had 63 members.
Three-quarters of the Majlisi Milli members were elected indirectly through joint assemblies of deputies from regions and cities, while the remaining portion was appointed by the President of Tajikistan. The Majlisi Milli operated in sessions.
Members of the Majlisi Namoyandagon were elected in nationwide elections (22 deputies from a single national constituency and 41 deputies from single-mandate constituencies), and their work was continuous.
The second parliamentary elections were held on February 27, 2000. The following parties participated: the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT), the CPT, the IRPT, the Democratic Party of Tajikistan (DPT), the Socialist Party of Tajikistan (SPT), and a group of independent candidates called "New Opposition."
Election results announced by the Central Election Commission of Tajikistan:
- PDPT – 36 seats
- CPT – 13 seats
- Independent candidates – 10 seats
- IRPT – 2 seats
- Two parliamentary seats remained vacant
The DPT and the SPT failed to overcome the 5% threshold and did not enter parliament.
2005. PDPT’s leadership and the decline of the Communist Party’s influence
The third parliamentary elections took place on February 27, 2005. A total of 61 candidates were registered in the single nationwide constituency and 170 candidates in single-member districts.
These elections were almost identical to the previous ones. The composition of parliament remained nearly the same, and the election results were also similar, although the Communist Party lost a significant number of seats to the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (NDPT).
According to the Central Commission for elections and Referenda (CCER):
- The PDPT – 46 seats
- Independent candidates – 11 seats
- The CPT – 4 seats
- The IRPT – 2 seats
The Democratic and Socialist parties once again failed to surpass the 5% threshold and did not enter parliament.
2010. Increase in the number of political parties and lack of real competition
The fourth parliamentary elections were held on February 28, 2010. In these elections, the number of participating parties increased significantly, but the overall outcome remained almost unchanged. The ruling PDPT once again secured the majority of seats, while the number of CPT representatives in parliament decreased.
Meanwhile, two new parties—the Agrarian Party of Tajikistan (APT) and the Party of Economic Reforms of Tajikistan (PERT)—entered parliament for the first time, bringing the total number of represented parties to five.
The CCER announced the following results:
- The PDPT – 54 seats
- The IRPT – 2 seats
- The CPT – 2 seats
- The PERT – 2 seats
- The APT – 2 seats
- Independent candidate – 1 seat
The Democratic Party and Socialist Party failed to enter parliament. The Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) was also unable to secure a seat.
2015. A Beginning for Some, an End for Others
The fifth parliamentary elections took place on March 1, 2015. Once again, eight parties participated, but the number of parties that successfully entered parliament increased significantly. This time, six parties secured parliamentary representation, with the Democratic and Socialist parties making it into parliament for the first time.
However, unlike in the previous three elections, the Islamic Party of Tajikistan failed to surpass the 5% threshold, and none of its candidates entered parliament.
Results:
- The PDPT – 51 seats
- The APT – 5 seats
- The PERT – 3 seats
- The CPT – 2 seats
- The SPT – 1 seat
- The DPT – 1 seat
The Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) once again failed to enter parliament.
A few months later, the IRPT was declared a terrorist and extremist organization, leading to the arrest of dozens of its leaders and members. The party’s leader, along with a group of supporters, fled Tajikistan. This marked the IRPT’s final participation in Tajikistan’s parliamentary elections.
2020. Six out of seven
The sixth parliamentary elections were held on March 1, 2020. Seven political parties participated, and representatives of six of them entered the parliament. For the first time in this parliamentary session, the Agrarian Party of Tajikistan secured enough seats to form its own faction.
The CCER announced the following results:
- The PDPT – 47 seats
- The APT – 7 seats
- The PERT – 5 seats
- The CPT – 2 seats
- The SPT – 1 seat
- The DPT – 1 seat
The SDPT failed to surpass the 5% threshold and did not enter parliament. None of its candidates secured a parliamentary seat.
Observation and assessment
Parliamentary elections in Tajikistan have always been monitored by local and international organizations. In most cases, domestic observers either gave positive evaluations or refrained from significant criticism of the process.
International observers, such as those from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), have consistently given high ratings to elections conducted in Tajikistan.
However, observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have deemed all elections in Tajikistan non-compliant with democratic standards, lacking transparency, and unfree. This year, for the first time, the OSCE will not be monitoring the elections in the republic.
