Local Government and Self-Government Day in Tajikistan Date in the current year: December 1, 2025

The constitutional law “On Local Government Bodies”, adopted in 2004, regulates local self-government in Tajikistan. This law replaced the law “On Local Self-Government and Local Economy in the Republic of Tajikistan”, which had been in force since 1991. The activities of local self-government bodies are based on the principles of legality, fairness, openness, and accountability.

Local government bodies in Tajikistan include representative (legislative) and executive bodies. The representative bodies of local self-government are the majlis, or assemblies, of people’s deputies in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, regions, the capital city of Dushanbe, cities, and districts. These assemblies represent the interests of residents of a specific territorial unit.

Majlis are elected by direct, secret, universal suffrage for a five-year term and convene at least twice a year. All Tajikistani citizens who are at least 18 years old at the time of the election are eligible to vote in local elections. The number of majlis members varies by administrative unit: up to 70 for the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, regions, and Dushanbe, and up to 40 for cities and districts. For a majlis to be considered valid, at least two-thirds of its deputies must be elected.

The powers of the majlis include approving local budgets and socioeconomic development programs, establishing local taxes and fees, managing communal property, reviewing reports from executive authorities, and approving programs for the rational use of natural resources, environmental protection, employment etc. Due to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region’s special status, its majlis has the right of legislative initiative, meaning it can officially propose new laws or amend existing ones.

The chairpersons of the majlis are appointed by the president and approved by their respective majlis. They head the representative and executive powers in the regions, and the local executive bodies and local branches of central executive bodies (ministries and state committees) are subordinate to them. These bodies’ main task is to enforce laws and solve everyday problems at the territorial level.

In Tajikistan’s towns and villages, local self-government is exercised by jamoats, which address issues related to improving the respective settlements, developing social infrastructure, creating small businesses, naming and renaming streets and other locations, changing territorial boundaries, and ensuring compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards.

Local Government and Self-Government Day was established to highlight the important role of these bodies in Tajikistan’s system of state power. It was officially added to the country’s list of holidays in 2023 and has been observed annually since then. Like all professional days in Tajikistan, it is not a non-working holiday.