Tajikistani presidential election, 2006

The 2006 presidential election in Tajikistan was held on November 6. [ [http://www.electionguide.org/country.php?ID=210 Election Guide] ]

The candidates were:
*Emomali Rahmonov — the incumbent, and a member of the dominant People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan. Constitutional provisions which would bar Rahmonov from seeking further terms have been controversially removed.
*Abduhalim Ghafforov — registered as representing the Socialist Party, although this is not the original Socialist Party — that party has been denied registration.
*Amir Qoraqulov — Agrarian Party.
*Olimjon Boboyev — Party of Economic Reforms of Tajikistan.
*Ismoil Talbakov — Communist Party of Tajikistan.

President Emomali Rakhmonov won a third term in office by capturing more than 79% of the total vote. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6119752.stm Tajik president wins third term] ] [cite web | author=Mike Eckel | title=Tajikistan president wins new 7-yr. term | publisher=Associated Press | year= 2006 | url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061107/ap_on_re_eu/tajikistan_election | accessdate=2006-11-07]

The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, the Democratic Party, and the Social Democratic Party all boycotted the elections. These parties criticise the electoral apparatus as unreliable, and do not accept the constitutional changes which allow President Rakhmanov to seek continued office. A rally by opposition parties was broken up [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/04/asia/AS_POL_Tajikistan_Election.php International Herald-Tribune: Tajik security agents break up small opposition rally] ] . According to the BBC [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6105840.stm BBC Q&A: Tajik election] ] , none of the four candidates opposing Rahmonov have publicly criticised him, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has said that " [n] o signs of a competitive campaign have been observed thus far" [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/03/asia/AS_POL_Tajikistan_Election.php International Herald-Tribune: War-weary Tajikistan, Central Asia's poorest nation, to vote in presidential election] .]

CIS election monitors observed the election. CIS monitors also observed the 2005 parliamentary elections, which were overwhelmingly won by the People's Democratic Party — the CIS monitors declared the elections "legal, free and transparent", while the OSCE condemned them.

References