Kyrgyzstan wins parliamentary vote amid disputes | Election Issues

Vote is expected to favor President Sadyr Japarov, who has strengthened his position since taking office last year.

Kyrgyzstan is voting in parliamentary elections as tensions escalate following allegations of a plot to oust President. Sadyr Japarov, who replaced the riots that took place last year.

At Bishkek’s headquarters, where Russian and Kyrgyz-speaking are spoken, there was no sign of rejoicing over Sunday’s vote, which is expected to result in Japarov’s 90-seat parliamentary seat.

During the 30 years of independence, the impoverished former Soviet Union in Asia has become a stalwart, while the three presidents did not take part in the protests, which were marred by corruption, unrest and anger over electoral instability.

While the election shows Japarov’s government still favors popular support, critics say the recent arrests of rivals and earlier legislative changes earlier this year show it is repeating the mistakes of its predecessors.

Its monetary government is also facing a difficult future, with the coming five-year power crisis, rising revenues and a sell-off by China’s doorstep affected by the epidemic.

At a meeting of the Security Council on Friday, Japarov acknowledged that the country could experience a “catastrophic collapse” at any time and condemned corruption and ancient weapons associated with the hydropower crisis.

Naurdin Shorukov, a 35-year-old reformer, told AFP he would not vote and believed the vote would win “the same people who have lived for the past 30 years and have not brought anything to the country”.

Daniel Zamirbekov, 18, has said he will vote for a reform party that looks like an outdoor betting in a parliamentary race, in which 21 parties and hundreds of candidates are competing in local governments.

But Zamirbekov worries that the underprivileged could benefit from the rich “visionless” party in the mountainous region, which is closed to 6.5 million people.

Polling stations open at 8am (02:00 GMT) and preliminary results are expected to start at 8pm.

‘A plot to overthrow the government’?

The recent instability in Kyrgyzstan came after parliamentary elections last year, when losing parties began criticizing votes allegedly rigged in favor of parties close to then-President Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

The result of the vote was abolished and the current leader Japarov, released from prison during the riots elected president in January.

After applying the cement strength to the control changes in the rules which lifted the one-time limit for former presidents and strengthened his office with the help of parliament, Japarov promised to “show the country” that Kyrgyzstan could hold free and fair elections.

But candidates have complained about the pressure of leadership.

Prominent independent lawmaker Ryskeldi Mombekov was removed from the ceremony by election officials before being reinstated by a judge when his constituency supporters threatened to do so.

In addition, the state security committee said Friday was arrest of 15 people concerned with the so-called conspiracy to overthrow the government concerning “laws and old officials”.

The statement did not specify which officials seized.

President Japarov and his wife Aigul visited the polls on Sunday [Vladimir Pirogov/Reuters]

Japarov has no party to the competition, although several high-profile deals are led by politicians loyal to him.

The results of the vote will be closely monitored by a close Russian ally, who has promised to support the new government after criticizing the political turmoil that brought Japarov to power.