Parties loyal to Uzbekistan's president swept parliament seats, according to official results released on Monday, in an election devoid of any real opposition in the tightly controlled Central Asian country
There are five registered parties in the country and they nominated all candidates who ran in Sunday's vote. While the parties may focus on different issues, some stress business climate or environmental protection, they all support President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
No genuine opposition parties are allowed in Uzbekistan.
Nearly 75% of voters had cast their ballots in Sunday’s vote, well above the 33% needed for the vote to be valid, according to election officials.
Under legislative changes introduced last year, Uzbekistan switched to a mixed election system, with half of its 150 lawmakers elected from party lists and the other half elected individually. The new rules also stipulate that 40% of those running for parliament must be women
Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the election took place amid ongoing reforms, but “the political environment remained constrained, not providing voters with a genuine choice.” They noted that “fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression remain disproportionately limited both by legislation and in practice.”.
Since taking office in 2016, Mirziyoyev has conducted a series of political and economic reforms that have eased some of the harsh policies of his predecessor, dictatorial leader Islam Karimov. Under Karimov's rule, Uzbekistan was one of the region’s most repressive countries.
Mirziyoyev has also released some political prisoners, loosened restrictions for media and bloggers, and eased the tight controls on Islam that Karimov imposed to counter dissident views.
Mirziyoyev’s government in 2022 claimed to have eliminated what rights groups said had amounted to systemic forced labor, but some concerns have remained and rights activists say that thousands of people in Uzbekistan remain imprisoned on false charges.
In April 2023, Mirziyoyev initiated a constitutional referendum that reset presidential term limits and would allow him to stay in office until 2040.
FILE - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrives at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United finally ran out of patience and fired manager Erik ten Hag on Monday after a troubled start to the season which has left the 20-time English champions languishing in the Premier League amid a period of major upheaval at the storied club.
Ten Hag, who was hired in 2022, won two domestic cups in his 2 1/2 years in charge but paid the price for leading United to just three wins in nine league games in the opening months of this campaign.
There have been four defeats in there, too, including heavy beatings by fierce rival Liverpool and Tottenham. A 2-1 loss at West Ham on Sunday was Ten Hag's last game in charge, with the Dutchman departing with United in 14th place in the 20-team standings.
“Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager,” United said.
“We are grateful," the club added, “to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future.”
United said Ruud van Nistelrooy, one of Ten Hag’s assistants and a former striker at the club, would be taking over as interim head coach while a permanent head coach is recruited.
The team's next game is at home to Leicester in the English League Cup on Wednesday.
Ten Hag joined from Dutch giant Ajax and was tasked with the responsibility of bringing the good times back to a club that has been in decline since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Despite winning the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup this year, United was showing no sign of improving on its worst league campaign in 34 years, having finished in eighth place last season.
Already 12 points behind first-place Manchester City in the Premier League, United — which never had a distinguishable style of play under Ten Hag — appears to have little hope of challenging for the title and is in danger of missing out on qualification for the lucrative Champions League once again.
Ten Hag only held onto his job following an unexpected victory over fierce rival Man City in the FA Cup final in May and an extensive end-of-year review by United. He was then handed a one-year extension to his contract to 2026.
However, the club’s new soccer leadership — fronted by new minority owner Jim Ratcliffe — was clearly unimpressed with the pace of change under Ten Hag.
Ratcliffe, the British billionaire, has taken over control of United’s soccer operations, with a new CEO, sporting director and technical director all installed in recent months. They now have to appoint a sixth permanent manager since Ferguson’s departure, following David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag.
"I don't think anybody will be truly shocked after what happened yesterday," former United defender Gary Neville said of the latest loss to West Ham.
“The fact they are in 14th is just unacceptable. You can't be 14th after nine games with the level of spending that has occurred, without being under significant pressure.”
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
FILE - Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP, File)
FILE - Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag celebrates with Manchester United's goalkeeper Andre Onana after winning the English FA Cup final soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, File)
FILE - Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag watches the play during an English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, March 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)
FILE - Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag, left, celebrates after Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Brentford at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)
FILE - Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag shouts out from the touchline during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)
FILE - Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez lifts Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag while celebrating victory in the English FA Cup final soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, File)
FILE - Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag sits on the bench during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between FC Porto and Manchester United at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira, File)
FILE - Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag and Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes pose with the trophy after winning the English FA Cup final soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, File)
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts on the touchline during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag on the touchline during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
