The League of Youth of Tajikistan held its extraordinary 14th congress in Dushanbe on August 31.

The congress delegates unanimously voted for nomination of the incumbent president as candidate for president. 

Along with the political parties officially registered in the country, the League of Youth of Tajikistan is empowered to nominate its candidate to run for president. 

Recall, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Tajikistan formally announced its nomination of Emomali Rahmon, who is the longest-serving leader in the former Soviet Union, suggesting that the incumbent president will participate in the upcoming presidential election.

The other candidates in the election currently comprise Rustam Latifzoda from the Agrarian Party, Abduhalim Ghafforov from the Socialist Party, Saidjaffar Usmonzoda of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, and Rustam Rahmatzoda from the Party of Economic Reforms.

Local experts, however, say other candidates that will run in the October presidential election will just serve a purely decorative function.

The Social-Democratic Party, which is the only officially registered opposition party in Tajikistan, has declined to nominate its candidate for president.  

The ruling People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) and the Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT) will nominate their candidates within the next few days.

Tajikistan's parliament has set October 11 as the date for the country's next presidential election.  The resolution on the election date was approved on August 6 during a joint session of both chamber of parliament.   

In the last presidential election that took place in 2013, Emomali Rahmon was reelected by a landslide, with 84 percent of the vote.

Established on October 12, 1991, the League of Youth of Tajikistan is an independent socio-political union.  It is headed by the head of the Committee for Youth and Sports’ Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan.