Article 1. The purpose of the Law

The purpose of this Law is to strengthen the role of political parties in the renewal and further democratization of state governance and modernization of the country.

This Law is the basis for introducing the relevant amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as changes and additions to the current legislation.

Article 2. Factions of political parties in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The faction of a political party is an association of deputies (members of parliament), which is established by deputies from a political party to express its interests in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and registered in the prescribed order.

The faction of a political party which gains the majority seats in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan makes up a parliamentary majority.

The parliamentary majority may also consist of several factions of political parties and deputies elected from the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan who establish a bloc based on the similarity or coincidence of their program objectives.

The factions of political parties as well as the deputies elected from Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan which do not share the course and program of the newly formed government, or some of its parts, may declare themselves as an opposition.

Association of factions of political parties into a bloc does not restrict their independence in exercising the rights prescribed by Law.

The faction of a political party which proclaimed itself as a parliamentary opposition along with the powers envisaged by Law has the following rights:

to propose a draft law in an alternative edition together with a report on the relevant issue of the responsible committee of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

to record its special opinion on the issues under discussion in the protocol of a plenary session of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

to a guaranteed participation of its representatives in the conciliatory commission on law which is rejected by the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The rights of a parliamentary opposition guaranteed by Law cannot be infringed by the parliamentary majority.

A deputy nominated from a political party and elected to the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan can be a member of the faction of this party only.

Article 3. The procedure for the election of Deputy Speakers of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan elects the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber and Deputy Speakers from among its members.

The Deputy Speakers of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan are elected by secret ballot by the majority of votes of the total number of deputies for the term of powers of the Legislative Chamber.

The faction of a political party, formed in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, has a guaranteed right for o­ne of its representatives to take post of one of the Deputy Speakers of the Legislative Chamber.

For the post of the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan a faction of a political party, as a rule, nominates the candidature of a head of its faction.

In case of non-election of the candidature of the political party to the position of the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the faction of the political party has the right to nominate another candidature from among the members of its faction.

The Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan can be elected to one of the committees of the Legislative Chamber.

Article 4. The procedure of appointment of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The candidature of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan is recommended by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for consideration and approval by the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan after holding consultations with each of the factions of political parties represented in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and deputies elected from the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan, within a month after the election of office holders and the formation of the bodies of chambers of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The candidature of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan is recognized as approved if the candidate gains the majority of votes of the total number of deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

If in the voting in the Legislative Chamber or the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the candidature of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan it was impossible to gain a majority of votes of the total number of deputies of the Legislative Chamber or the members of the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, after additional consultations with factions of political parties and deputies elected from the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan, has the right yet to recommend twice the candidatures to the post of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In the case of triple rejection of the recommended candidature of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan by the Legislative Chamber or the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan appoints an Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, dissolves the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan or one of its Chambers.

In the case of the dissolution of the Legislative Chamber, the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, new elections shall be held within three months of the date when the decision on dissolution was adopted.

Article 5. The procedure for dismissal of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan is dismissed from the post by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan:

а) according to an application from the Prime Minister to resign;

b) in case it becomes impossible for the Prime Minister to execute his powers;

c) in case insuperable disagreements within the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan emerge threatening its normal functioning, as well as the repeated adoption of resolutions by the Cabinet of Ministers that contradict the Constitution, the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the decrees and resolutions by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

d) upon the initiative of factions of political parties in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan submitted for consideration by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan takes a decision on dismissal of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan if this initiative shall be supported with necessary substantiation by the leading factions of political parties at the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and when this initiative is put to vote by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan it gains the votes of more than two thirds of the total number of deputies in the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, respectively.

Dismissal of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan will simultaneously lead to the resignation of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 

Article 6. Procedure of appointment and approval of the khokim (‘governor’) of a province and (‘mayor’) the city of Tashkent

The candidatures for the post of khokim of a province and the city of Tashkent are introduced by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for approval by the regional and Tashkent municipal Kengash (‘council’) of people’s deputies after holding consultations with each of the party groups represented in the relevant Kengashs of people’s deputies.

The candidature for khokim of a province and the city of Tashkent is considered as approved when it gains the majority of votes of the total number of deputies of the relevant Kengashs of people’s deputies.

If in voting the candidatures for khokim of a province or the city of Tashkent do not gain the majority of votes of the total number of the relevant Kengashs of people’s deputies, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has the right yet to twice introduce the candidatures for the mentioned posts within a month after holding additional consultations with the party groups.

In case of triple refusal of candidatures nominated for the post of khokim of a province and the city of Tashkent by the relevant Kengash of people’s deputies, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has the right to appoint an Acting khokim of the province and the city of Tashkent, dissolve the relevant Kengash of people’s deputies. In this case, the elections for regional and Tashkent municipal Kengash of people’s deputies shall be held within three months of the day when the decision on dissolution was adopted.

In accordance with the decision of the regional and Tashkent municipal Kengash of people’s deputies on the candidature of khokim, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan issues a decree.

Article 7. Controlling functions of deputies of regional and Tashkent municipal Kengashs of people’s deputies over the activity of khokim of a province and the city of Tashkent

With a view to enhancing the efficiency of controlling functions the party groups of regional, Tashkent municipal Kengashs of people’s deputies shall have the right to initiate the submission of well-grounded conclusions to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan about unsatisfactory performance of persons approved to the post of khokim of a province and the city of Tashkent.  In case if this initiative is supported by the leading party groups, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan assigns the discussion of this initiative at the Kengash of people’s deputies and takes a decision in line with the outcomes of the discussion.

Article 8. Entering into force of this Constitutional Law

This Constitutional Law shall enter into force from January 1, 2008.

The President
of the Republic of Uzbekistan                              Islam Karimov

City of Tashkent
April 11, 2007