Potential New Parties Ahead of Tajik Presidential Election

New political movements in Tajikistan are aiming to secure licenses as legal parties in order to participate in the country's 2013 presidential election. These movements will be important to watch closely in the context of Tajikistan's increasingly volatile security environment. In recent years Tajikistan has seen an uptick in rebel- and militant-related security incidents, and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan could also have a destabilizing effect on Tajikistan. And considering the country's recent history, these emerging political parties — specifically the Youth Party, with its ties to the current political opposition — could have important implications for Tajikistan.