Presidential Election, 6 November 2006

In response to an invitation from Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry, ODIHR deployed an election observation mission to observe the presidential election on 6 November.

Headed by Onno van der Wind of the Netherlands, the mission opened on 9 October 2006 and remained in Tajikistan until 17 November. Twelve election experts and 13 long-term observers were deployed to Dushanbe and other regions to observe the pre-election period, the polling, counting and tabulation on election day, as well as post-election developments.

On election day, the mission joined efforts with a delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Together, 167 short-term observers from 31 OSCE participating States were deployed.

According to the mission's final report: "The 6 November 2006 presidential election in the Republic of Tajikistan did not fully test democratic electoral practices as outlined in the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document, due to a lack of genuine choice and meaningful pluralism, and revealed substantial shortcomings. Despite the presence of five candidates and some administrative improvements, the 6 November 2006 presidential election was characterized by a marked absence of competition. Parties that determined themselves as political opposition to the incumbent chose not to nominate candidates. As a result, voters were presented with a choice that was only nominal."

Previous Elections

The OSCE/ODIHR previously observed the 2000 and 2005 parliamentary elections in Tajikistan.