When Saida Mirziyoeva entered Uzbekistan's government in 2019, she was largely unknown and had no previous political experience.Seven years later, the eldest daughter of President Shavkat Mirziyoev has become one of the most powerful people in the country and a figure increasingly discussed as a possible successor to her father.A law signed by Mirziyoev on August 14 has given that speculation a new dimension by formally expanding the powers of the Presidential Administration, which Mirziyoeva, 41, heads.Under the law, the head of the administration -- the president's chief of staff -- becomes deputy chair of the Security Council, which is headed by the president and coordinates the country's security, law enforcement and military structures. Mirziyoeva will also organize and coordinate the activities of the council's members.Alisher Ilhomov, a London-based Central Asia analyst, said the change is particularly significant because control over the security apparatus is one of the main pillars of the president's power."She was already de facto the No. 2 person in the country after the president, but her position was not strongly regulated by law. Now a legal foundation has been created that allows her to concentrate power and control over the security agencies," Ilhomov said.The new powers are the latest step in a rapid political rise that has repeatedly fueled speculation that Mirziyoev could be preparing his daughter for the presidency.
Uzbekistan's Saida Mirziyoeva Gains New Powers, Fueling Succession Questions
A new law expanding the powers of Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration has further elevated Saida Mirziyoeva, the president’s daughter, within the country’s political hierarchy. It gives her a role in the Security Council and has fueled fresh speculation about Uzbekistan’s eventual succession.
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