TASHKENT, Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is set for general elections on Dec. 22, an election commission said on Monday.

Five political parties will compete in the general elections to gain seats in the 150-seat Legislative Assembly -- the lower wing of the Uzbekistan parliament, which consists of the Senate and the Legislative Assembly, said the Central Election Commission.

The voters will also cast their ballots to elect the municipal members of the provincial and district councils during the elections.

"New Uzbekistan, new elections" will be used as the motto for the first parliamentary elections since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in 2016.

Some 20 million people are expected to head to polls for the December elections. Nearly 10,000 ballot boxes will be used in 150 separate constituencies throughout the country.

The last parliamentary election held in December 2014 saw Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party gained 52 seats, Uzbekistan National Revival Democratic Party had 36 seats, People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan 27, Justice Social Democratic Party 20 and Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan had 15 seats.