Presidential constitutional republic, whereby the

Main office-holders

Office

Name

Party

Since

President

Shavkat Mirziyoyev Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party

8 September 2016

Prime Minister Abdulla Oripov

Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party

14 December 2016

The 

president

 is elected by popular vote for a five-year term in elections that cannot be

described as free. 

Freedom House

 rates Uzbekistan as absolutely unfree in both political

institutions and civil society.

The prime minister and deputy ministers are appointed by the president. In effect, the

executive branch holds almost all power. The judiciary lacks independence and the

legislature, which meets only a few days each year, has little power to shape laws.

The president selects and replaces provincial governors. Under the terms of a December

1995 referendum, 

Islam Karimov

's first term was extended. Another national referendum was

held January 27, 2002 to again extend Karimov's term. The referendum passed and Karimov's

term was extended by act of the parliament to December 2007. Most international observers

refused to participate in the process and did not recognize the results, dismissing them as

not meeting basic standards. Karimov had himself re-elected for a technically

unconstitutional third term in the 

2007 election

.

The 

Oliy Majlis

 has 150 members in the 

Legislative Chamber

, elected for a five-year term, and

100 members in the 

Senate

, 84 of whom are elected at the sessions of the district, regional

and city deputies, and 16 appointed by the president.

Legislative branch

The 

Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan

 (Lower House).

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Uzbekistan is divided in 12 viloyatlar (singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic*

(respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri):

Andijon Viloyati

 (

Andijan

)

Buxoro Viloyati

 (

Bukhara

)

Farg'ona Viloyati

 (

Fergana

)

Jizzax Viloyati

 (

Jizzakh

)

Xorazm Viloyati

 (

Urganch

)

Namangan Viloyati

 (

Namangan

)

Navoiy Viloyati

 (

Navoi

)

Qashqadaryo Viloyati

 (

Qarshi

)

Qaraqalpaqstan Respublikasi

* (

Nukus

)

Samarqand Viloyati

 (

Samarkand

)

Sirdaryo Viloyati

 (

Guliston

)

Surxondaryo Viloyati

 (

Termiz

)

Toshkent Shahri

** (

Tashkent

)

Toshkent Viloyati

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers

(exceptions and alternate spellings have the administrative center name following in

parentheses)