Ruling party wins two-thirds of seats in Tajik parliament

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DUSHENBE, March 2 (Itar-Tass) -- Two-thirds of seats in Tajikistan's
lower parliament house have been won by the ruling People's Democratic
Party led by President Emomali Rakhmon, a spokesman for the country's
Central Election Commission told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.
According to Abdurakhmon Abdumannonov, the party will take 45 out of
63 parliamentary seats. The Party of Islamic Revival, the Party of
Economic Reforms, the Communist and Agrarian Parties won two seats each.
Nine seats were won by independent candidates who scored more than 50
percent of votes in their election districts. One parliamentary seat will
be contended by a ruling party member and a representative of the Social
Democratic Party in a runoff voting in two weeks.
A total of 214 contenders from eight political parties and independent
candidates took part in the Sunday parliamentary elections in Tajikistan.
The opposition has already said the voting results were falsified and is
preparing to file suits against the Central Election Commission.
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