Tajikistan, a poor ex-Soviet nation north of Afghanistan, voted in a parliamentary election yesterday certain to be won by Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon’s party despite growing popular discontent.
Potential instability in the Muslim nation is a worry to the West, which relies on Tajikistan to transit supplies for NATO troops in Afghanistan and harbor thousands of refugees from the war-torn state.
Tajikistan has never held a vote judged free and fair by Western observers and analysts expect Rakhmon’s People’s Democratic Party to keep the majority of seats in the 63-seat Majlisi Namoyandagon lower house of the parliament.
The leading contenders among seven other parties running in the poll are pro-government Communists and the opposition Islamic Revival Party, both represented in the current legislature but with only a handful of deputies.
Although there have been no signs of outright unrest or public protests, ordinary Tajiks have become frustrated with Rakhmon’s government due to deepening economic crisis and poverty. Up to half the workforce have left the country to work abroad, mostly in Russia.
Mukhiddin Kabiri, the leader of the Islamic Revival Party, said his supporters had already registered “numerous irregularities.”
“Those include multiple voting, voting for family members and hindering the work of our observers by elections officials,” Kabiri said.
A Western observer said he saw an opposition candidate from Rakhmon’s home constituency of Dangara being prevented from voting by local election officials.
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