Tadjik presidential elections happened this Sunday and would be more than likely to extend the reign of its authoritarian head of state Emomali Rhamon for another seven years.

UK Exeter University International Relations Professor John Heathershow said the four other candidates to the election aren’t a real threat to the current president. 

“Their role is to give an illusion of a campaign to what would be otherwise a non event,” Professor Heathershow said.