Uzbekistan experts observe Elections in Germany

September 26, Uzbekistan delegation got acquainted with the principles and practice of organizing parliamentary elections in Germany, directly observed the voting at the polling stations of the German capital, held meetings with members of several election commissions.

The delegation consists of representatives of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the National Center for Human Rights, the Development Strategy Center and the International Institute for Central Asia.

The visit is organized at the invitation of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Germany.

The 2021 German federal election was held on 26 September 2021 to elect the members of the 20th Bundestag. Incumbent Chancellor Angela Merkel chose not to run again in this election, marking the first time in postwar history that an incumbent Chancellor did not seek re-election.

Three candidates from the most popular political parties are fighting for the post of chancellor: from the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) – Armin Laschet, Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany – Vice Chancellor, Minister of Finance of Germany Olaf Scholz; Leader of Alliance 90/The Greens – Annalena Baerbock.

The German side was informed about the upcoming elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, familiarized with the main provisions of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, adopted in 2019, as well as with the practice of preparing and holding elections in Uzbekistan.

Members of Uzbekistan delegation also informed the German side about innovations in electoral legislation, improving the practice of organizing the work of district and precinct election commissions, the principles of their formation, ensuring an impartial, objective nature of their activities.

As the comparative analysis of the electoral legislation in Uzbekistan and Germany carried out during the meeting showed, most of the processes have a similar basis, including the possibility of early voting, the desire to create the necessary conditions for ensuring the suffrage of disabled people and other aspects. At the same time, German experts highly appreciated such innovations in the election legislation of Uzbekistan as the creation of opportunities for voting abroad and the legislative consolidation of ensuring gender equality.

German colleagues were also interested in the procedure for participation in the elections in Uzbekistan by international observers, who are legally given broad powers to monitor the entire election cycle, covering both the process of the election and the pre-election campaign and the voting procedure on the election day. It should be noted that in Germany there is no legislative regulation of the participation of international observers and their powers.

The program of the visit of Uzbekistan experts includes meetings in the Departments of the Federal President and the Federal Chancellor, the Federal Foreign Office, the German Bundestag, the Landtag (parliament) of the Federal State of Brandenburg, as well as talks and roundtable discussions in leading German think tanks, foundations and specialized organizations (SWP, DGAP, ZOIS, KAS, FES, WKNE) of Germany.