Maqsuda Vorisova

Born to an educated family in Tashkent, Vorisova graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute in 1984, where she from there worked as a doctor in the clinic. From 1989, Vorisova began working in the rural Nazarbek medical center in the Zangiata District, of which she became the head in 2003.[1]

In 2009, she was elected as a councillor in the Zangiata District Kengash of People's Deputies where she served until 2015, when becoming a member of the Uzbek Senate and Tashkent Regional Kengash at the same time from 2015 to 2019. During the period, Vorisova became a deputy chairwoman of the People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (XDP) central council.[1][2]

In the 2019–20 parliamentary elections, Vorisova was elected as member of the Legislative Chamber. From there, she served in committees of Public Health and Family and Women's Affairs.[1]

On 7 August 2021, Vorisova was nominated for presidency by the XDP to contest the presidential election, becoming the first and only woman to appear on a ballot since Diloram Tashmukhamedova in 2007.[3][4] From there, she pledged to solve issues regarding education and medicine.[5] She ran in series of platforms related to egalitarian and social priorities in spheres to living standards, justice and equality, and democracy,[6] which were seen to have correlated with the Nordic model according to Podrobno.uz.[7]

Although losing the race to incumbent Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Vorisova became one of the runner ups in the election, earning second place with 6.6% vote share, making her the first person since Muhammad Salih in 1991 to gain more than 5% as a highest-performing non incumbent in the presidential vote.[8]