President of Uzbekistan

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ўзбекистон Республикасининг Президенти or O‘zbekiston Respublikasing Presidenti) is the Head of State and executive authority in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The office of President was established in 1991 replacing the position of First secretary of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan that has existed since 1925 while the country was known as Uzbek SSR. The president is directly elected by the citizen of Uzbekistan who have reached eighteen years of age for seven years term.
Islam Karimov has been the only president of Uzbekistan since the establishment of the office and had won three elections in a row which many consider as no more than shams. The third election was the most controversial since he had been elected twice. The explanation given by him was that his first term in office was only five years following the old constitution.


The Constitution of Uzbekistan ruled that a presidential candidate must be at least thirty five years old, fluent in speaking the state language (Uzbek), and permanently residing for at least ten years on the territory of Uzbekistan.
On taking office, the President must take the following oath, stipulated by Article 92 of the constitution, at sitting of the Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan:
“ I do solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of Uzbekistan, to strictly follow the Constitution and laws of the Republic, to guarantee the rights and freedoms of its citizens, and to conscientiously perform the duties vested on the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. ”


The constitution stated that the President shall be elected by citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the basis of the universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.