Uzbek President Secures New Term in Snap Election

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been re-elected for a seven-year term with 87.1% of the vote in a snap election. Mirziyoyev, who has been in power since 2016, called for the election after changing the constitution to reset his term count and extend the presidential term from five to seven years. He ran against three lesser-known candidates and was widely expected to win. Mirziyoyev has presented himself as a reformer, implementing changes to simplify taxes, improve business conditions, and address human rights concerns. His re-election campaign focused on the economy and education, with plans to double the country's GDP and navigate the impact of Western sanctions on Russia.