Kyrgyzstan’s rerun parliamentary elections delayed until after constitutional reform

Acting President Sadyr Zhaparov (Kabar)

BISHKEK: Acting President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov signed the constitutional law of the Kyrgyz Republic to postpone the date of repeat parliamentary elections until the constitutional reform.

The press service of the acting president said that the need to adopt the constitutional law is dictated by a number of circumstances, as well as the current socio-political situation in the country, Kabar news agency reported.

On October 21, the Central Election Commission set December 20 for the rerun of the elections that were annulled on October 6.

However, on October 22, the constitutional law was rushed through a bill by the parliament to delay the elections.

The adopted law provides for the suspension of articles of the Constitutional Law that regulate the procedure for holding the repeat parliamentary elections, until the end of the constitutional reform.

The timing of repeat elections will be set after the constitutional reform in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, but it will be no later than June 1, 2021.

The law comes into force from the moment of its official publication and is valid until the completion of the constitutional reform.

The repeat parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan were scheduled for December 20.

The previous parliamentary elections were held in Kyrgyzstan on October 4.

However, the Central Election Commission annulled the results two days later amid protests organized by parties that did not win representation in the parliament and that claimed there had been fraud.

One person was killed and more than 1,000 were injured in the protests that led to the resignation of the president, prime minister and Speaker.

Zhaparov, a former nationalist lawmaker who was freed from prison when a mob stormed a Bishkek prison during the protests, is now assuming the position of acting president and prime minister. He is reportedly advocating the introduction of a stronger presidential system.