AKIPRESS.COM - The ruling People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan secured the March 2 elections to the lower house of parliament with 51.9% of the votes in the republican district, according to preliminary results quoted by the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums Chairman Bakhtiyor Khudoyerzoda.

It will receive 12 of the 22 seats distributed in a single district, he told a press conference.

"The People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan received 51.9% of the votes and won 12 seats," he said, adding that 2.4 million people voted for candidates from the ruling party of the republic.

He said the Agrarian Party of Tajikistan earned 5 mandates in the new parliament, the Economic Reform Party gained 3 mandates, and the Democratic and Socialist Parties each received one mandate. The Communist Party did not pass the five percent threshold and did not receive a mandate on a party list basis. 1.1% of the voters voted against all.

Voting for deputies of the lower house of parliament is organized under a mixed system: 41 are elected from single-member districts, and 22 more are elected from the republican district. The term of office is 5 years. A total of 220 candidates, including 65 self-nominated candidates, competed for 63 seats in the lower house of parliament.