Uzbekistan’s incumbent leader wins 2nd term in office

By AGNIESZKA PIKULICKA-WILCZEWSKA
Associated Press

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AP) — Preliminary results from Uzbekistan’s presidential election show the incumbent leader winning a second five-year term in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received 80.1% of Sunday’s vote, according to the country’s Central Election Commission. Mirziyoyev took office in 2016 following the death of longtime President Islam Karimov. He has relaxed many of the policies of his dictatorial predecessor but maintained rigid controls over the political scene. In Sunday’s election, he faced four opponents with relatively low visibility who didn’t even show up for televised debates and instead sent proxies who failed to engage in substantial discussions. Independent candidates weren’t allowed.