ТОҶИКИСТОН « TOŽIKISTON »
— Officially: Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон « Žumhurii Tožikiston ».
— English: (Northern) Tajikistan.
— Seat of government: Душанбе « Dušanbe ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Autocracy under the current president. In theory, the president is elected directly, while parliament (Маҷлиси Олии « Mažlisi Olii ») comprises the Маҷлиси Намояндагон « Mažlisi Namojandagon », elected in geographical constituencies modified by proportional representation, and the Маҷлиси Миллии « Mažlisi Millii », chosen by local governments and the president.
— Governing party: Ҳизби Халқии Демократии Тоҷикистон « Hizbi Xalqii Demokratii Tožikiston ».
— Head of government: Эмомалии Раҳмон(ов) « Čmomalii Rahmon(ov) », president.
— Chief opposition party: Нашрияи Ҳизби Наҳзати Исломии Тоҷикистон « Našrijai Hizbi Nahzati Islomii Tožikiston ».
— Assessment: Essentially a party dictatorship, though a peace settlement has legalized most opposition. Раҳмон « Rahmon » (1992-) first came to office during a civil war that immediately followed independence (1991), during which the state was effectively divided, controlled in part by the organized opposition and in part by warlords. The territory was mostly reunited by a 1997 agreement. The state is the usual Central Asian sham democracy; Раҳмон « Rahmon » has declared himself comfortably reelected in 1994, 1999 (98%), 2006, and 2013. The ҲХДТ « HXDT » has claimed official parliamentary wins in 2000, 2005, and 2010, taking nearly all seats in the last two. In 2003, Раҳмон « Rahmon » was granted a constitutional amendment that would allow him to rule to 2020.
— FH: 6-5, not free. Econ: 2.45 (150), authoritarian.
— Updated: 2015 March 16.
O.T. FORD