A Special Fund of the Leader of the Nation and the Order of the Leader of Nation are being established in Tajikistan.  Besides, the Leader of the Nation Award is being instituted in the country.

Tajik lawmakers have voted to give President Emomali Rahmon the tile “Founder of Independent Tajikistan.”

A regular sitting of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, took place on October 26.   

The lawmakers unanimously voted to give the bill on the founder of peace and national unity of Tajikistan the status of the constitutional law.

They also endorsed amendments proposed to this law.  One of these amendments designates Emomali Rahmon “Founder of Independent Tajikistan.”

Besides, the amendments provide for establishing a Special Fund of the Leader of the Nation and the Order of the Leader of Nation as well as instituting the Leader of the Nation Award.    

Tajik lawmakers have voted to give President Emomali Rahmon the title "Leader of the Nation" and grant him lifelong immunity from prosecution in December last year. 

The bill passed on December 9, 2015 by the parliament's lower chamber officially designates Rahmon "the founder of peace and national unity of Tajikistan" and states that he cannot be prosecuted for anything he has done while in office.

It also protects his relatives.  Members of his family would enjoy immunity and their property would be exempt from legal proceedings.

The bill also provides for establishment of an archive, library and museum of the Leader of the Nation.

The bill is similar to laws in two other Central Asian nations whose presidents have held power for years and tolerate little dissent.  Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has enjoyed immunity since 2000 and was designated “Leader of the Nation” in 2010.  The late Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov held the title Turkmenbashi (The Leader of All Turkmen) until his death in 2006; his successor, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, is officially called Arkadag -- the Protector.

Tajikistan’s referendum on amendments to the constitution took place on May 22, 2016.  .

The referendum included 41 proposed amendments and voters could either vote "yes" or "no" to the package of amendments.  It was not possible to vote on individual amendments.

The most important proposed amendments included eliminating the term limit for incumbent President Emomali Rahmon, lowering the age of eligibility to become president, and banning the creation of political parties based on religion.

The term-limit amendment applies only to Emomali Rahmon, who owns the status of the “Leader of the Nation.”

Lowering the presidential age limit from 35 to 30 could position Rahmon’s 29-year-old son, Rustam Emomali, for an early succession.

The previous referendum in Tajikistan took place in 2003 and changed the one-term limit for the president to a two-term limit.