Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will seek re-election in July, alongside three token candidates, according to the list released on June 5 by the country's electoral commission.
Campaigning in the Central Asian country — which has an authoritarian political system in spite of substantial reforms — will begin on June 7, state news agency Uza quoted the commission as saying.
The election will take place on July 9.
It was called early by Mr. Mirziyoyev, 65, after a referendum allowing him to remain in power for two more terms.
The tightly controlled plebiscite in April, which officially garnered 90% support, ushered in constitutional changes that allow the president to extend his hold on power until 2037.
The reforms also lengthened the Presidential terms from five to seven years.
Only five parties are officially registered in Uzbekistan.
The former Soviet republic has been ruled since 2016 by Mr. Mirziyoyev, who was re-elected in 2021 in a ballot international observers condemned as lacking genuine competition.
Two political parties have named Mr. Mirziyoyev as their candidate this year.
They include the Liberal Democratic Party, which was founded by authoritarian former President Islam Karimov.
Mr. Mirziyoyev served as Karimov's Prime Minister for 13 years, taking over as president when his predecessor died.
Despite a series of socio-economic reforms — including the abolition of the death penalty and a clampdown on the use of forced labour in cotton fields — Uzbekistan remains an authoritarian state.
Critics say rights abuses persist and the authorities have shown no sign of allowing a real political opposition to emerge.
In July 2022, protests erupted over a move to remove the right to self-determination from the region of Karakalpakstan.
The unrest in the poor northwestern territory left at least 21 dead.
Mr. Mirziyoyev subsequently made a rare about-turn and withdrew the proposed change.
