Emomali Rahmon

Emomali Rahmon, born Emomali Sharipovich Rahmonov on October 5, 1952, in Danghara, has served as the third President of Tajikistan since November 16, 1994, having led the country as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 1992 after emerging as a compromise candidate following the civil war. He has headed the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan since 1998 and has won five presidential elections, each described by international observers as falling short of democratic standards; constitutional referendums in 1999 and 2003 expanded his powers, and a 2016 referendum removed presidential term limits altogether. He holds an economics degree, earned in 1982, from Tajik State National University.