The new edition of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan (PDF)

The Constitution in its new edition is a firm guarantee of human dignity, honor and rights

“The Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan in its new edition has created a solid foundation for the further sustainable development of statehood and the socio-political, socio-economic, and judicial-legal spheres.” This well-founded assessment was especially emphasized in the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, dated November 16, 2023, on the preparation and celebration of Constitution Day.

The fact that 90.21 percent of citizens who participated in the nationwide referendum on April 30, 2023, voted in favor of the new edition of the Constitution clearly confirms this view and reflects the aspirations and hopes of our people for building a New Uzbekistan.

The people are the sole source of state power

It is known that the previous edition of the Constitution, adopted on December 8, 1992, was approved by the deputies of the Supreme Council as representatives of the people. In contrast, the new edition of the Basic Law was adopted directly by the people through a nationwide referendum. In this sense, the true author of the Constitution in its new edition is the people themselves, and the will of citizens is the source and driving force of reforms.

Article 7, paragraph one, of the new Constitution states: “The people are the sole source of state power.” This provision enshrines the universally recognized principle of popular sovereignty, according to which the people are the bearer of sovereignty and the only source of state authority.

Accordingly, in recent years Uzbekistan has been consistently implementing measures aimed at establishing a New Uzbekistan as a state where human dignity, rights and freedoms are the highest values; where state bodies serve the people; where the concerns and legitimate demands of citizens become the main criterion for evaluating public administration; and where key decisions are made with public participation and in consultation with civil society institutions.

This reflects the essence and advantage of democracy, which requires ensuring human rights, deepening democratic reforms, strengthening the role of parliament, political parties, civil society institutions and the media, enhancing the system of checks and balances, improving the quality, transparency and accountability of public services, and introducing effective mechanisms of parliamentary and public oversight.

State bodies must serve the people

The provision of Article 7 that state power in the Republic of Uzbekistan is exercised in the interests of the people confirms these principles. It strengthens the constitutional and legal foundations of popular sovereignty and safeguards the legitimate interests of citizens.

The same article also establishes another universally recognized principle: state power may be exercised only by those bodies authorized by the Constitution and laws adopted on its basis.

This is further specified in Article 10, which states that only the Oliy Majlis and the President elected by the people may act on behalf of the people of Uzbekistan. No political party, public association, movement, group, or individual may represent the entire nation.

From this perspective, two forms of democracy are distinguished: direct and representative. In Uzbekistan, governance is carried out through a system of three branches of power: the Oliy Majlis as the legislative body adopts laws, the executive branch headed by the Cabinet of Ministers ensures their implementation, and the courts administer justice on the basis of law. Each branch operates within clearly defined constitutional powers.