parliamentary elections - The Times Of Central Asia

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presidential election

Is Kyrgyzstan About to Have a Snap President Election?

Kyrgyzstan held early parliamentary elections at the end of November 2025 that were moved forward by a year so that they would not overlap with the campaign for the presidential election scheduled for January 2027. On February 9, a group of 75 former officials and notable figures from various spheres of society publicly submitted a letter to the president and speaker of parliament calling on them to “immediately initiate a new election for president.” While there has yet to be any official response, such a proposal is likely to be accepted, leaving anyone who planned on running against incumbent President Sadyr Japarov with little time to organize a campaign. Early Parliamentary Elections In June 2025, amendments were introduced to the electoral system. The split system of using single-mandate districts and party lists to elect parliamentary deputies was changed to only single-mandate districts, and electoral districts were redivided. This sparked discussions that perhaps early parliamentary elections were needed to fill the 90 seats with deputies elected under the newly-approved system. The argument that tilted the debate toward early elections was that parliamentary elections were scheduled for late November 2026 and the presidential election for January 2027. The general opinion was that having the two elections so close together would make voters weary and unable to fully focus on the presidential campaign. Also, if the vote count was delayed in some districts or there were legal challenges, these processes would be ongoing as campaigning for the presidency got underway. The solution was to move parliamentary elections forward by a year. In September 2025, parliament voted to dissolve itself, and November 30 was named as the date for early elections. The Letter The petition addressed to President Japarov and Speaker of Parliament Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu was signed by former deputies, nine former governors, four former prime ministers, several high-ranking members of the military, academics, artists, and even an Olympic Games medal-winner. The letter praised the current administration for establishing stability in Kyrgyzstan, strengthening the country’s armed forces, resolving long-standing border issues with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, successfully battling corruption, and eliminating organized crime in the country. The letter also mentioned remaining problems such as the growing national debt, poverty, and the outflow of “especially young people” unable to find employment and going to other countries to work. A key point in the appeal for an early presidential election was that it would clear up an ambiguity in President Japarov’s term. Japarov came to power in the wake of the October 2020 revolution that was sparked by parliamentary elections riddled with irregularities. He was elected in January 2021 to a six-year term in office, but in April that year, a national referendum approved a new constitution with a five-year presidential term. Therefore, holding the presidential election this year would bring Japarov closer into line with the new constitution. Additionally, the previous constitution, which had a six-year presidential term, also limited a president to one term in office. The new constitution allows for two five-year terms....

Parliamentary Reform

Kazakhstan Debates Parliamentary Reform as Inflation Pressures Living Standards

The Kazakh government is actively developing the framework for a future unicameral parliament, working to define its status, powers, and functions. Currently, Kazakhstan’s legislative branch consists of two chambers: the Senate and the Mazhilis. The proposed transition to a unicameral system has been positioned by authorities as a step toward democratization. However, many citizens remain unclear about the details and implications of the reform, particularly as inflation and declining living standards dominate public concern. Uncertain Details of Reform In September 2025, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed holding a nationwide referendum on transitioning to a unicameral parliament in 2027. While some analysts have speculated about a faster timeline, no official acceleration beyond 2027 has been announced. "The establishment of a parliamentary republic is not under consideration. The foundational model of a 'Strong President, Influential Parliament, Accountable Government' remains unchanged," Tokayev previously stated. According to political analyst Gaziz Abishev, pivotal developments are expected on January 20, when the National Kurultai (Assembly) convenes. He believes this meeting will outline the contours of constitutional reform and potentially signal a date for the referendum. “If the decree on holding a referendum is signed during the Kurultai, the vote could be held on March 22 [2026],” Abishev stated. Under the current system, the Senate represents regions and appointive quotas, reviewing legislation passed by the Mazhilis and serving as a constitutional buffer. Any move to unicameralism would require redefining how regional interests are represented and how legislative oversight is maintained without an upper chamber. The National Kurultai serves as a platform for dialogue between the government and society, addressing national identity, economic development, social justice, and improving the quality of life. Historically, the Kurultai was a gathering of Turkic and Mongol tribes. Over 500 Public Proposals Submitted Public discussion around the proposed unicameral parliament has been active. Since the launch of a dedicated “Parliamentary Reform” section on the state portals e-Otinish and Egov, over 500 proposals have been submitted by citizens, experts, and public organizations. Despite this engagement, tangible benefits for ordinary citizens remain vague, aside from a potential reduction in government spending. Globally, more than half of national parliaments operate as unicameral systems. According to IPU Parline, 107 out of 188 legislatures follow this model, primarily in unitary states with smaller populations. Unicameral systems are often praised for faster legislative processes, lower administrative costs, and increased transparency. Kazakhstan previously had a unicameral legislature under the 1993 Constitution. Following the invalidation of the 1994 elections, the Supreme Council was dissolved. In 1995, the country transitioned to its current bicameral system. The Senate, as the upper house, plays a stabilizing and arbitration role. Analysts caution that without a second chamber, legislative processes may be vulnerable to hasty or populist decisions. Potential for Early Elections Abishev suggests that a referendum in March 2026 could prompt an early electoral cycle. "Under the current schedule, the next Mazhilis elections are set for January 2028. However, they could be moved up to summer 2026 if Parliament adopts a constitutional amendment package in April...

Kyrgyzstan Elections

Kyrgyzstan Election Delivers Wins for Women and the President’s Allies

Kyrgyzstan held snap parliamentary elections on November 30 that seem not to have elicited widespread enthusiasm among the electorate. Not long ago, Kyrgyzstan had the most vibrant political culture in Central Asia. Campaigning for parliamentary elections was a lively period that was impossible not to notice. Parties and candidates were in the news constantly in the weeks before the elections. There were campaign posters and signs, and public events with concerts organized by parties or candidates all around the country. The rapid pace of these latest elections, in which candidates had only 20 days to campaign, might have contributed to voter confusion and apathy on election day, but the elections do seem to have come off without any major controversy. In a country that has had three revolutions in the last 20 years, two of them directly connected to parliamentary elections, a quiet election day is a victory of sorts. Election Day Polls opened at 8:00 local time, and several hours after they closed at 20:00, Kyrgyzstan’s Central Election Commission reported that 36.9% of eligible voters had cast ballots. The last few elections in Kyrgyzstan have seen turnouts of less than 40%. This time, the Kyrgyz authorities were hoping for a significant increase in participation to validate the new system for parliamentary elections approved earlier this year. However, the turnout of 36.9% was only slightly better than the 34.61% of voters who took part in the November 2021 parliamentary elections. As many as 500,000 Kyrgyz citizens are working or living outside Kyrgyzstan, and only just over 26,000 showed up at any of the 100 polling stations in 34 countries. Five of Kyrgyzstan’s last six parliamentary elections were decided based on party lists. The last parliamentary elections were conducted under a split system, whereby 54 of the 90 seats in parliament were selected via party lists, and the other 36 seats in single-mandate districts. This time, all 90 seats were chosen under a majoritarian system, with a twist. The country was divided up into 30 electoral districts, each of which selected three deputies. Kyrgyzstan had a requirement that at least 30% of the seats in parliament should go to women, but that quota has not been observed in recent elections. In the November 30 elections, at least one woman had to be among the three candidates who secured seats in parliament, though up to two women could win in a district (at least one of the winners was required to be a man). Election results confirmed that one woman won a seat in every district, but only one. There were no instances where two women took seats in a district. Also, according to the preliminary election results, all the women who won came in third place in their districts, with one exception. In District 23, veteran MP Elvira Surabaldiyeva took the most votes. Results posted by AKI Press showed that without the requirement of one female deputy per district, only seven women would have become deputies. Name recognition was bound to...

Kyrgyzstan Elections

Kyrgyzstan Early Parliamentary Elections See 36.9% Voter Turnout

Kyrgyzstan held early parliamentary elections on November 30, with voter turnout reaching 36.9%, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). Of the 4,294,000 registered voters, more than 1.5 million cast their ballots. Polling stations across the country and abroad closed at 8:00 p.m. local time. While an automated accounting system (AAS) was used during the voting process, Kyrgyz electoral law requires that electronic results be verified against manual counts. Members of precinct commissions conducted manual ballot counts after the polls closed. The CEC reported receiving 269 complaints regarding potential violations of electoral law during the campaign. These included 124 reports of campaign violations, 37 of the dissemination of defamatory information about candidates, eight related to the alleged use of administrative resources, 46 concerning possible vote buying, and 54 involving other types of violations. There were also reports of equipment malfunctions at several polling stations. Nevertheless, the CEC declared the elections valid. Elected candidates began receiving congratulations on December 1. The 2025 early elections marked a significant change in Kyrgyzstan’s electoral process. Party-list voting was fully abolished, and all candidates ran in single-mandate constituencies. President Sadyr Japarov cast his vote in Bishkek. He noted that the fully automated voting process this year significantly reduced opportunities for human interference in election outcomes. Japarov emphasized that citizens could vote using digital passports via the Tunduk app, and biometric registration took only a few minutes. While acknowledging that vote buying remains a challenge, Japarov stated that relevant authorities are responding quickly to any such incidents. He also noted that efforts to ensure the participation of Kyrgyz citizens abroad included doubling the number of overseas polling stations. A total of 100 polling sites were opened internationally, including in Russia, the United States, Kazakhstan, and several European countries.

Kyrgyz Parliament

300 OSCE Observers to Monitor Kyrgyzstan’s Parliamentary Elections

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will deploy 300 observers to monitor Kyrgyzstan’s upcoming parliamentary elections. The country’s Central Election Commission (CEC) confirmed the news in a statement published on its official website. According to the CEC, 30 long-term observers will begin work next week, monitoring the electoral process across all regions of Kyrgyzstan. An additional 300 short-term observers will arrive closer to election day to assess voting procedures and the vote count. Ahead of the vote, CEC Chairman Tyntyk Shainazarov met in Bishkek with representatives from the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Mission head Tamás Mészáros stated that the team had arrived in full and was ready to begin its work. The CEC noted that OSCE representatives expressed interest in attending meetings of the election commission and its working groups, both prior to and following the elections. Both sides affirmed their commitment to open and comprehensive cooperation. Shainazarov highlighted that Kyrgyzstan’s revised electoral system is designed to ensure fair representation of all regions in parliament, uphold gender balance, and facilitate remote voting. For the first time, a remote voting system will allow citizens to vote in any district without needing absentee ballots or additional paperwork. Ballots will be generated at polling stations, listing candidates from the relevant constituency. “We have achieved our goal: voters will vote only once and only for one candidate. This eliminates the possibility of fraud and other violations. I believe this is a great achievement,” Shainazarov said. The OSCE mission also showed particular interest in the technical details of the new system. Observers were briefed on the equipment and voting procedures ahead of the election, which will take place on November 30. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the parliament voted on September 25 to dissolve itself, setting the stage for early elections. The decision was approved by 84 deputies, with five abstentions and one absence. The upcoming vote will be conducted under revised rules. The country has been divided into 30 constituencies, each of which will elect three deputies.