Authors: Islambek Rustambekov, Said Gulyamov
TRANSFORMATIVE CONSTITUTIONALISM IN ACTION:
VALUES OF THE PREAMBLE, PRESIDENTIAL STRATEGY, AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY IN CONTEMPORARY UZBEKISTAN
Islambek Rustambekov, Said Gulyamov – Tashkent State University of Law, Uzbekistan
ABSTRACT
This article examines the transformative constitutional trajectory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, analyzing how President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s strategic initiatives since 2016 catalyzed fundamental constitutional reform culminating in the 2023 Constitution adopted by popular referendum. The study explores the dialectical relationship between constitutional values enshrined in the Preamble and their operationalization through comprehensive reform programs including Strategy “Uzbekistan-2030.” Employing comparative constitutional analysis and institutional examination methodologies, the research demonstrates how presidential leadership translated abstract constitutional principles—human dignity, democracy, social justice, environmental sustainability—into concrete policy frameworks addressing twenty-first-century challenges: digital transformation, climate change, youth empowerment, and global integration. The article argues that Uzbekistan’s constitutional evolution represents a distinctive model of post-Soviet democratic transition, balancing national identity preservation with universal human rights standards, economic liberalization with social protection, and sovereignty with international cooperation. Through systematic analysis of legislative acts, strategic documents, and institutional reforms from 2016-2024, the study reveals how presidential initiatives created enabling conditions for constitutional transformation, fostering popular demand for fundamental law revision reflecting “New Uzbekistan” aspirations. This constitutional modernization exemplifies how visionary leadership can guide peaceful democratic transformation, offering insights for comparative constitutionalism scholarship and states navigating similar developmental trajectories.
Keywords: Constitutional reform, presidential leadership, strategic governance, human rights, digital transformation, Uzbekistan
Continue reading, please download the Analytical Dossier AD_24_2025 ISSN 2704-6419
The Authors:
Islambek Rustambekov – Doctor of Law, Professor Tashkent State University of Law, Tashkent, Uzbekistan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8869-8399 – irustambekov2024tsult@mail.ru
Said Gulyamov – Doctor of Law, Professor, Head of the Department of Cyber Law, Tashkent State University of Law, Tashkent, Uzbekistan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2299-2122 – said.gulyamov1976@gmail.com