Uzbekistan General Information - The structure of state power

Uzbekistan is a sovereign democratic republic. The fall name is the Republic of Uzbekistan. Names "The Republic of Uzbekistan" and "Uzbekistan" are equivalent.

The form of government is presidential.

The republic has its state symbols - emblem, flag, and anthem. The national holiday is the Independence Day, September 1.

According to Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, one of the main principles of organization of state power is a democracy.

The only source of the state power is people.

People govern the state directly or through their elected representatives. Participation by people in the state administration is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and secured by special laws. In this regard, the referendum is an important political event. It is, in other words - voting by the people, is held on the most important issues of state and society, for instance, while adopting the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and other resolutions, or amending them. The way of holding referenda is defined by the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On referendum of the Republic of Uzbekistan" of November 18,1991. Decisions taken as a result of referenda bear the supreme legal power on the territory of Uzbekistan, and may be amended or canceled only by way of referenda.

Elections to Kengashs (Councils) of people's deputies, national discussion of the most important issues, meetings of voters, early recall of people's deputies, and others are examples of how people may directly participate in the state administration. Certain laws also define rules of their holding.

People administer the state through deputies whom they elect to OliyMajlis (national parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Kengashs (Councils) of people's deputies of viloyats (provinces), tumans (districts), and towns. Only those elected to the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan can act on behalf of the people.

The main principle of the state power is state sovereignty. The state sovereignty means full independence in carrying out domestic and foreign policies.

According to Article 15 of Constitution, the absolute supremacy of Constitution and laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan are recognized. The state, its bodies, officials, public organizations, and citizens act in line with Constitution and laws. The separation of the state power is another fundamental principle. According to Article 11, the state power in Uzbekistan is separated to legislative, executive and judicial branches.

The Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan is a legislative branch of power. It consists of two chambers - the Legislative chamber (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House).

The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan is a head of the state as well as executive branch of power. President stands as a guarantor of citizen's rights and liberties, Constitution, and laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Judiciary is independent from legislative and executive branches, political parties, and other public organizations. It consists of Constitutional, Supreme, and Supreme Economic Courts of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Supreme, and Economic Courts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, elected for a five-year term, military and economic courts of provinces, city of Tashkent, districts and towns, appointed for the same term.

On its state structure, the Republic of Uzbekistan is a unitary state. The Article 70, the Section IV of Constitution on the administrative-territorial division, stipulates that the sovereign Republic of Karakalpakstan is a part of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Article 71 provides that Republic of Karakalpakstan has its own Constitution. The laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan are binding on the entire territory of the Republic of Karakalpakstan (Article 72). The relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan are regulated with treaties and agreements reached within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan.