Uzbekistan’s president clings to power while passing liberal reforms
A new constitution would recognise individual rights and allow Shavkat Mirziyoyev to prolong his rule
“THE CONSTITUTION is yours!” proclaim red banners emblazoned on billboards and on buses zipping around Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital. As Uzbeks prepare to cast ballots in a referendum on constitutional reform on April 30th, the government is whipping up such a fervour for a yes vote that even children have been dragooned in support. In a video that sparked mockery on social media, a nursery teacher led a group of tots in chanting pro-constitutional reform slogans.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Enough Mirziyoyev”
From the April 22nd 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
The Adani scandal takes the shine off Modi’s electoral success
The tycoon’s indictment clouds the prime minister’s prospects
Priyanka Gandhi: dynastic scion, and hope of India’s opposition
Poised to enter parliament, she may have bigger ambitions than that
The Caspian Sea is shrinking rapidly
This has big implications for Russia, which has come to rely on Central Asian ports
Racial tensions boil over in New Zealand
A controversial bill regarding Maori people punctures its relative harmony
Once a free-market pioneer, Sri Lanka takes a leap to the left
A new president with Marxist roots now dominates parliament too
The mystery of India’s female labour-force participation rate
A good news story? Maybe