In Uzbekistan, a Constitutional Referendum Is Unlikely to Portend Liberalization

Uzbekistan's constitutional referendum is unlikely to portend further liberalization in the country, and is instead an attempt to ensure domestic stability. According to the Uzbek government, 90% percent of voters approved a package of constitutional amendments in a national referendum held on April 30 that reportedly garnered an 85% turnout. The changes -- which lawmakers claim impact 65% of the constitution's text -- will allow President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to run for two more seven-year terms beyond the end of his current five-year term in 2026. The constitutional reforms have been in the works since Mirziyoyev first proposed them during his November 2021 inauguration for his second term. The Uzbek president has insisted that the overhaul of the constitution would improve governance and quality of life in the country by reflecting and fortifying changes in Uzbekistan under his rule. On the surface, some of the changes suggest timid steps toward political...