2021 Kyrgyz parliamentary election

2021 Kyrgyz parliamentary election

←  2020 28 November 2021
All 90 seats in the Supreme Council 46 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	34.60%
Party Leader % Seats +/– Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan Aybek Matkerimov 19.10 15 New Ishenim Azamat Doroyev 15.01 12 New Yntymak Chingiz Makeshov 12.13 9 New Alliance Mirlan Jeenchoroyev 9.20 7 New Butun Kyrgyzstan Adakhan Madumarov 7.76 6 +6 Yiman Nuru Nurzhigit Kadyrbekov 6.80 5 +5 Independents – – 34 +34 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Leading party by constituency Speaker of the Supreme Council before Speaker of the Supreme Council after Talant Mamytov Kyrgyzstan Talant Mamytov Yntymak

Snap parliamentary elections were held in Kyrgyzstan on 28 November 2021. ^{[1] [2]} They followed the annulment of the results of the October 2020 elections and the subsequent protests against the election's conduct. Six parties passed the 5% threshold needed to win seats in the parliament. Turnout hit a record low at less than 35%. ^{[3] [4]}

Background

Following the large-scale 2020 Kyrgyz protests which resulted in the annulment of the October parliamentary election results, as well as the resignation of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Central Electoral Commission (CEC) head Nurjan Shyldabekova on 16 October 2020 announced that repeat elections could be held on 20 December. At a CEC meeting on 21 October, the elections were scheduled for the aforementioned date in December. ^[5] However, just a day later on 22 October, the Supreme Council voted on a bill postponing the snap parliamentary elections and determining that they would be held no later than 1 June 2021, after new amendments to the Constitution would be adopted. ^{[6] [7]}

On 10 January 2021, the presidential elections and a government system referendum were held concurrently. As a result, Sadyr Japarov was elected as president with majority of voters approving his vision of a constitutional reform that called for a return of the country's presidential system. ^[8] After Japarov assumed office, during an interview with Kazakh-based Kazinform news agency, he announced that the parliamentary elections would not be held in June, but in autumn instead. ^[9]

During the course of political changes, Kyrgyzstan suffered a democratic backslide with a drop in its Freedom House world ranking to the "Not Free" category. In addition, several activists and academicians who criticised the authorities were charged with treason after being accused of calling for a violent seizure of power. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

A new draft of the Constitution was unveiled in February 2021, which resulted in more calls for a referendum that was held in April 2021 and approved by a majority of voters. ^{[13] [14]} After coming to force on 5 May 2021, the seats in the Supreme Council were reduced from 120 to 90 along with MPs' powers, and a political advisory body People's Kurultai was formed. ^[15] The head of state (President) was granted more executive authority, as well as the power to appoint almost all judges and heads of law enforcement agencies. ^[15] New amendments to the Criminal Code, which were proposed by the Ministry of the Interior, were condemned by Human Rights Watch, warning that they would "endanger freedom of association and speech". ^{[16] [17]}

Electoral system

Out of the 90 seats in the Supreme Council 54 will be elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency, and 36 in single-seat districts. ^[18] To win seats, parties must pass a national electoral threshold of 5% of the votes cast (down from 7% in the October 2020 elections), ^[2] and receive at least 0.5% of the vote in each of the seven regions. ^[19] The lists are open, with voters able to cast a single preferential vote. No one party is allowed to be given more than half of the proportional seats. ^{[20] [21]} Party lists are required to have at least 30% of the candidates from each gender, and every fourth candidate had to be of a different gender. Each list is also required to have at least 15% of the candidates being from ethnic minorities and 15% of under 35 years old, as well as at least two candidates with disabilities. ^{[21] [22]}

In addition, parliament abolished the use of Form No. 2, which allowed Kyrgyz voters to register to cast their ballots outside of their official home districts. The system was intended to allow migrant workers to vote where they worked, but after record numbers of this type of ballot were cast in the previous, annulled election, it was thought that the forms were abused to manipulate vote totals in the different regions. ^[2]

Parties admitted to the elections

A total of 21 parties were admitted to the elections. ^{[23] [24]} The Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan parties did not participate, with former members joining other party lists. ^[25]

Name						№	Ideology	Leader	2020 result
									Votes (%)	Seats
	BK	United Kyrgyzstan Бүтүн Кыргызстан				1	National conservatism Ethnic nationalism	Adakhan Madumarov	7.25%	13 / 120
	AM	Ata Meken Socialist Party Ата-Мекен Социалисттик Партиясы				2	Social democracy Democratic socialism	Omurbek Tekebayev	4.10%	0 / 120
	Ishenim	Ishenim Ишеним				3	Communitarianism	Azamat Doroyev	DNP	DNP
	Yntymak	Yntymak Ынтымак				4	Direct democracy	Chingiz Makeshov	DNP	DNP
	UB	Uluttar Birimdigi Улуттар Биримдиги				5	Cultural nationalism	Melisbek Myrzakmatov	DNP	DNP
	AJK	Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan Ата-Журт Кыргызстан				6	Kyrgyz nationalism	Aybek Matkerimov	6.96% [lower-alpha 1]	0 / 120
	YN	Light of Faith Ыйман Нуру				7	Liberalism Anti-corruption	Nurzhigit Kadyrbekov	3.41%	0 / 120
	Alliance	Alliance Альянс
				AK	A Just Kyrgyzstan Адилеттүү Кыргызстан	8		Mirlan Jeenchoroyev	DNP	DNP
				KLDP	Kyrgyz Liberal Democratic Party Кыргыз либерал демократиялык партиясы		Liberalism	Janar Akaev	DNP	DNP
				BB	Bir Bol Бир Бол		Liberalism Russophilia	Altynbek Sulaymanov	3.08%	0 / 120
	EÜ	El Ümütü Эл Үмүтү				9		Bolot Ibragimov	DNP	DNP
	Azattyk	Azattyk Democratic Party "Азаттык" демократиялык партиясы				10		Ismail Isakov	DNP	DNP
	UJ	Uluu-Jurt Улуу-Журт				11		Mirlan Orozbaev	DNP	DNP
	ME	Mekenchil El Democratic Party "Мекенчил Эл" демократиялык партиясы				12	Social conservatism	Bakyt Ibraev	DNP	DNP
	PPEK	Kyrgyzstan Patriotic Party of the Unity Кыргызстандын Бириктирүүчү патриоттук партиясы				13		Bakyt Osmankulov	DNP	DNP
	SDK	Social Democrats Социал-демократтар				14	Social democracy Pro-Atambayev	Kadyrbek Atambayev	2.17%	0 / 120
	Aruuzat	Party of People's Dignity - Aruuzat Аруузат – Эл куту				15		Almakan Bekova	DNP	DNP
	Ordo	The Centre Ордо				16	Populism	Mirbek Miyarov	0.22%	0 / 120
	Bagyt	Liberal Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan "Bagyt" "Багыт" либералдык-демократиялык партиясы				17	Liberalism Liberal democracy	Belek Esenaliev	DNP	DNP
	KJP	Party of Greens Кыргызстан Жашылдар Партиясы				18	Green politics	Emil Yusuvaliev	DNP	DNP
	Legalise	Political Party "Legalise" Саясий партиясы Легалайз				19	Cannabis decriminalization	Eldar Madylbekov	DNP	DNP
	KR	Strong Region Күчтүү регион				20	Regionalism	Alexander Savitsky	DNP	DNP
	JK	Long live Kyrgyzstan Жашасын Кыргызстан				21		Toktayim Umetalieva	DNP	DNP

1. Mekenchil

Opinion polls

Polling firm	Fieldwork date	Sample	AJK	Yntymak	Ishenim	Ata Meken	Light of Faith	Bütün	El Ümütü	SDK	Others	Against all	Undecided	Boycott	Lead
IRI	18 November 2021	11,000	5%	1%		3%	3%	3%		4%	2%	10%	36%	14%	1%
Eurasians	16 November 2021	11,000	14.0%	11.0%	9.8%	8.2%	7.0%	6.6%	5.2%	2.7%	9.9%	6.3%	16.0%	3.30%	3%
2020 election	4 October 2020	1,990,753	7.0%	—	—	4.1%	3.4%	7.3%	—	2.2%	74.3%	1.8%	—	—	0.6%

Results

Two single-member constituency seats were left vacant as the against all option received the most votes. ^[26]

Party		Party lists			Constituency			Total seats
		Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
	Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan	222,005	19.10	15				15
	Ishenim	174,470	15.01	12				12
	Yntymak	141,009	12.13	9				9
	Alliance	106,955	9.20	7				7
	United Kyrgyzstan	90,223	7.76	6				6
	Light of Faith	79,025	6.80	5				5
	El Ümütü	57,642	4.96	0				0
	Azattyk Democratic Party	52,183	4.49	0				0
	Ata Meken Socialist Party	45,568	3.92	0				0
	Social Democrats	40,280	3.47	0				0
	Uluttar Birimdigi	31,382	2.70	0				0
	Mekenchil El Democratic Party	20,522	1.77	0				0
	Liberal Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan "Bagyt"	12,634	1.09	0				0
	Patriotic Party of the Unity of Kyrgyzstan	12,279	1.06	0				0
	Uluu-Zhurt	9,376	0.81	0				0
	Strong Region	8,212	0.71	0				0
	Political Party "Legalise"	7,943	0.68	0				0
	The Centre	5,934	0.51	0				0
	Party of People's Dignity — Aruuzat	5,869	0.51	0				0
	Long Live Kyrgyzstan	5,615	0.48	0				0
	Party of the Greens of Kyrgyzstan	5,266	0.45	0				0
	Independents						34	34
Against all		27,739	2.39	–			2	2
Total		1,162,131	100.00	54			36	90
Valid votes		1,162,131	90.71
Invalid/blank votes		119,068	9.29
Total votes		1,281,199	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		3,703,420	34.60		3,619,292	–
Source: OSCE, The Diplomat

Reactions

After the announcement of preliminary results of the vote, opposition parties denounced the election at a protest held in Bishkek on 29 November 2021, citing alleged electoral fraud that occurred during the counting as a blackout at the tabulation screen had shown several parties falling below the 5% electoral threshold. Omurbek Tekebayev, leader of the Ata Meken Socialist Party, called for the results to be annulled once again, just as in the previous parliamentary election. ^{[27] [28]} In response to the allegations, CEC chairwoman Nurjan Shyldabekova asserted that the malfunction had occurred only at the monitor display and not within the counting process, which would have affected the results. ^[28]

On 1 December 2021, Omurbek Tekebayev was attacked by unknown persons at a restaurant. In response, Tekebayev linked the incident to his activities, calling it "political terror". ^[29]

References

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