State funding for political parties to be increased

The head of state signed the law “On introducing additions and changes to some legal documents of the Republic of Uzbekistan”. The document was adopted by the Legislative Chamber on June 11, 2024 and approved by the Senate on June 22, 2024.

According to the changes made to the law “On the financing of political parties”, the annual volume of public funds allocated to finance the statutory activities of political parties in Uzbekistan is increasing. Now the annual amount of financing for the statutory activities of parties is formed in the amount of multiplying 2.5% of the BCA (previously – 2%), determined as of September 1 of the previous year (previously – January 1) of the year in which the allocation of these funds is planned, by the number of citizens included in the voter list for the last elections to the Legislative Chamber.

Based on the results of elections to the Legislative Chamber, public funds are distributed in the following order: 40% – in equal shares between parties, 60% - in proportion to the number of deputy seats received by parties in the lower house of parliament.

However, if the number of deputies changes, the redistribution of public funds will not be carried out.

The law also allows for the financing of political parties through entrance and membership fees, income from business activities and donations from legal entities and citizens of Uzbekistan.

An addition has been made to the Law “On political parties” prohibiting the activities of political parties of foreign states on the territory of the country: Article 6 of the law has been supplemented with an addition that states that the organization of parties of foreign states and their divisions and the implementation of their activities on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan is not allowed.