Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country located in Central Asia and is bordered with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country’s geography is also odd in that it has several enclaves of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan within it, Kyrgyzstan itself also has a tiny exclave within Uzbekistan. The country’s capital city Bishkek is located in the central north not far from the border with Kazakhstan.
The history of Kyrgyzstan is long and complex due to the importance of its location on important trading routes such as the Silk Road, and therefore it has seen numerous tribes, clans, great civilisations, cultures, and empires during its time before it officially became independent Kyrgyzstan. In early times the area saw periods of self-government and rule from the Gokturks, Uyghur Empire, and Khitan Peoples.
The area was eventually conquered by the Mongol Empire in the 13th Century and for a time after its disintegration the area regained a period of self-rule before once again being invaded and ruled by groups such as the Kalmyks, Manchus, and Uzbeks. The Russian Empire would eventually gain control of the area from 1876 and would put down revolts and rebellion against their rule, and many Kyrgyz people would migrate into the mountains or to places such as Afghanistan and China during this time. Following the Russian Revolution, the area would become an autonomous oblast under the Soviet Union before being made into the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936 within the Soviet Union.
While being under Soviet rule Kyrgyzstan saw improvement in culture, education, and social development as well as economical improvements and literacy was also greatly improved, although Russian was imposed on the people. Despite Soviet attempts at nationalist suppression, the Kyrgyz people still managed to retain much of their own national culture.
The Soviet glasnost reforms under Gorbachev at first did little to change the political climate in the KSSR although the media became more liberal and a democratic movement which supported independence did slowly form. In June 1990 ethnic violence exploded in the Osh Oblast between the Kyrgyz and the minority Uzbeks over plans to develop housing on Uzbek collective farms, leading to a state of emergency and curfew. At the same time movements towards democracy and independence was in full swing with the post of President being created and Askar Akayev being elected as the first President, the parliament, at the time called the Supreme Soviet, then voted to change the republic’s name to the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.
Akayev established new government institutions and appointed a Cabinet of younger politicians who supported independent and democratic reforms. Despite moves towards independence, the populace at the time was put off due to economic downfall and a referendum on preserving the Soviet Union saw 88% of the populace vote to retain the Soviet Union as a renewed federation, although this never came to fruition and successionist forces would eventually achieve independence.
The failed August coup in Moscow made attempts to depose Akayev in Kyrgyzstan, but after the collapse of the coup Akayev and his Vice-President would resign from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, followed by the entire bureau and secretariat, all but guaranteeing independence, which was voted for on 31st August 1991 following a vote in the Supreme Soviet declaring independence, and of which became official on 25th December 1991, four days after joining the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The country was ruled by Akayev until 2005 where he and his government were forced to resign following the Tulip Revolution, which started after parliamentary elections, with Akayev and his family being accused of corruption and authoritarianism. Since then, the country has remained politically unstable, including assassinations, unrest, organized crime, and ethnic clashes, as well as a violent and deadly revoultion in 2010 which led to the resignation of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his government and the adoption of a 2010 constitutional amendment that transferred powers from the President to the Prime Minister and towards a stronger parliamentary system, the revoulution was sparked by accusations of authoritarinism and economic and energy issues.
The country’s official language is Kyrgyz with Russian as a co-official language. Kyrgyz is the majority ethnic group but there are also a significant number of Uzbeks and Russians who live in Kyrgyzstan as well. The largest religion is Sunni Islam. The official currency is the Kyrgyzstani som and the country’s population is over 6,621,870.
Government Type
Kyrgyzstan is a Presidential Representative Democratic Republic where there is a President who is Head of State and a Prime Minister who is Head of Government. There is a unicameral parliament called the Supreme Council that makes up legislative government. Multiple parties are allowed. Local municipal and state government/administration exists in areas of the country which include local elected parliaments.
State, municipal, and party institutions cannot merge; establishment and activity of party organisations in state and municipal institutions and organisations is prohibited; carrying out party activity by civil and municipal servants is prohibited, except if done outside of official duties. Those serving in the army, law-enforcement agencies, and judges cannot be members of political parties or put out statements of support for any political parties.
Political parties cannot be created on religious or ethnic basis or pursue goals by religious associations. Militant formations by associations of citizens are prohibited. Political parties and public and religious organisations are not allowed to force change to constitutional setup, undermine national security, or incite social, racial, inter-national, inter-ethnic, or religious hatred.
Citizens have the right to form citizens assemblies on issues of state and public importance, decisions by such assemblies are delivered to the appropriate agencies as recommendations.
The Executive Government
The President is the Head of State and has a number of executive powers at their disposal and various duties to perform as well as safeguarding the Republic and its institutions and the constitution.
Presidential Powers and Duties
It is the duty of the President to represent the country both internally and externally.
The President conducts diplomatic negotiations and with the consent of the Prime Minister, signs international treaties. The President can assign this power to the Prime Minister, members of Government, and other officials.
With consent of the Prime Minister, the President appoints diplomatic representatives to foreign states, permanent representatives to international organisations, and can recall them. Accepts credentials and letters of recall of the heads of diplomatic missions of foreign states.
The President holds to power of decision over naturalization and denunciation of citizenship.
Calls for the regular elections of the Supreme Council (country’s unicameral parliament) and take decisions on early elections in pursuance to typical procedure and as guided by the constitution. Also calls regular elections to local Parliaments and can also dismiss local Parliaments in accordance with procedure and where provided for by law.
The President signs and promulgates laws passed by the country’s national parliament, and may also choose to send passed legislative bills back for another consideration along with the relevant reasons and opinions as to why. The President cannot send back the State Budget or tax bills back for reconsideration unless the Prime Minister has request, they be returned without signing.
If a bill that the President has returned is passed again without changes by at least a two-thirds majority then it must be signed into law.
Is able to convene an extraordinary meeting of the country’s national parliament and define the issues up for consideration. The Government or at least one-third of deputies in the Parliament can also call for an extraordinary session.
The President has the right to address sittings of the national Parliament.
On proposal of the relevant Council on the selection of Judges, the President submits candidates to the national Parliament for confirmation to the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court. Also submits to the national parliament judges up for dismissal upon proposal of the relevant disciplinary commission.
The President also appoints local court judges on the proposal of the relevant judge selection Council, and similarly dismisses any on proposal of the relevant disciplinary commission.
The President appoints the Prosecutor-General with consent from the national Parliament. Can also dismiss them on decision of the national Parliament. Appoints and dismisses the deputies of the Prosecutor-General at their proposal.
The President appoints and dismisses members of the Government in-charge of state agencies that deal with issues of defense and national security as well as their deputies.
The President submits candidates to be chosen for Chairperson of the National Bank to the National Parliament. The President appoints the Deputy Chairmen and members of the Board of the National Bank at the proposal of the Chairperson. Similarly dismisses them where envisaged by law.
The President nominates one-third of the members of the Central Commission on elections and referenda for election and dismissal by decision of the national Parliament, the other one-third is nominated by the majority faction/coalition and the other one-third by the parliamentary opposition.
The President nominates one-third of the members of the Chamber of Accounts for election or dismissal by decision of the national Parliament, other one-third nominated by majority faction or coalition in Parliament, and other one-third by Parliamentary opposition. The President then selects the Chairperson of the Chamber of Accounts following the election, and can dismiss them in cases envisaged by law.
The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces. He/she defines, appoints, and dismisses the highest commanders of the country’s armed forces. The President also chairs the Security Council which is established in accordance with the law. Confers highest military ranks.
The President, guided by constitutional law, gives warning of the possibility of introducing a State of Emergency. Can also, when necessary, introduce a State of Emergency in individual localities without prior declaration, with prompt notification to the national Parliament.
Declares general or partial mobilization of armed forces; announces State of War in event of aggression to the country and promptly submits the issue for the national Parliament to consider.
Declares Martial Law in interests of defense of the country and safety of citizens and promptly submits this issue for the national Parliament to consider.
The President has the power to pardon from the law.
President appoints Prime Minister after they have been nominated by largest party/group in the national Parliament following Parliamentary elections and after the national Parliament has approved them.
Presidential Removal
If the President is unable to carry out their duties due to illness, then the national Parliament can adopt a motion of early dismissal of the President from office which will be based on the conclusion of a state medical commission. Following the medical report removal of the President on ill-health grounds requires a two-thirds majority.
The President can also be removed from office via impeachment for having committed a crime. An initiative for this is introduced by at least one-third of deputies of the national Parliament, and a charge against the President is put forth by an absolute majority vote. A special commission to investigate the charge is then formed by the national Parliament and its conclusion along with the Prosecutor-General agreeing there are features of a crime. The impeachment vote follows this and requires a two-thirds majority to remove the President, if no impeachment vote takes place within three months since the charge was introduced then the charge is automatically deemed rejected.
If the President is removed early for either reason, then the Speaker of the national Parliament takes over as interim President until fresh elections elect a new President within three months’ time, if the Speaker cannot take the position, then the Prime Minister does or someone acting as the Prime Minister.
The interim President cannot call early elections, cannot dismiss the Government, and cannot run for President themselves in the early Presidential Election.
Prime Minister and the Executive
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government. The executive power is exercised by the Government, ministries subordinate to it, state committees, administrative departments, and local state administrations. The Government is the highest body of executive power.
The Government consists of the Prime Minister, vice-prime ministers, ministers, and chairpersons of state committees.
The Prime Minister is nominated by the majority faction or coalition in Parliament following Parliamentary elections. The candidate for Prime Minister will then submit the program, structure, and composition of Government to the Parliament within 25-working days.
If the above fails then the President proposes to one of the factions to create a parliamentary majority within 25 working days and nominate the candidate for Prime Minister. If that fails then the President will propose the same to the second faction to create a majority and nominate the Prime Minister within 15 working days. If that fails then the factions at their own initiative can create a parliamentary majority within 15 working days and nominate the Prime Minister.
If successful on any part, then the President appoints the Prime Minister and members of Government upon the Prime Minister having been nominated and having formed a Government and program that was accepted by Parliament.
If all options are exhausted and there is no agreement still, then the President calls for early Parliamentary elections.
When the Prime Minster and Government are in power, they will lose power and have to resign if the current governing majority is lost in Parliament, a new Prime Minister will be nominated and new Government formed following the above procedure.
The Prime Minister and Government must keep the confidence of the Parliament to remain in power. The Government is responsible and accountable to the Parliament. A motion of no-confidence can be introduced by at least one-third of members in Parliament and needs an absolute majority to be adopted, if adopted the President either dismisses the Government or disagrees with the decision of the Parliament and takes no action. But if a motion of no confidence is repeatedly adopted the President will have no choice but to dismiss the Government.
The Prime Minister can also ask for a vote of confidence in their Government, this cannot be done more than twice per year. If in this case the Prime Minister and their Government loses such a confidence vote the President either dismisses the Government or calls early Parliamentary elections.
The Prime Minister can choose to dismiss members from Government excluding those of state agencies in charge of defense and national security. To dismiss a member of Government the Prime Minister submits such an action for the President to decide on, if the President takes no action within 5 working days, then the Prime Minister may consult with faction leaders of the Parliamentary majority, where then the Prime Minister has right to dismiss the said member outright.
Upon resignation or dismissal of a member of Government the Prime Minister submits a candidate to refill the position to the Parliament to accept or reject, once accepted the candidate is appointed to the position by the President.
The Prime Minister presents an annual report on the work of the Government to the Parliament. The Government ensures implementation of constitution and laws; implements domestic and foreign policy of the State; takes measures to ensure law and order, rights and freedoms of citizens, protecting public order and combating crime; ensures implementation of measures to protect sovereignty of state, territorial integrity, protection of constitutional order, measures to strengthen defensive capacity, national security, and law and order.
The Government ensures implementation of financial, pricing, tariff, investment and tax policy; drafts the State Budget, submits it to the Parliament, and takes measures for its execution, presents report of budget execution to the Parliament; measure to secure equal conditions for development of all forms of property, their protection, and manage objects of public property; ensure implementation of unified state policy in socio-economic and cultural areas; develops and implements nationwide programs of economic, social, scientific and technical as well as cultural development; among other jobs.
The Prime Minister manages the work of Government and bears personal responsibility for its performance towards the Parliament; ensures implementation of constitution and laws by all agencies of the executive power; conducts negotiations and signs international treaties; conduct meetings of Government; signs resolutions and orders of Government and ensures their implementation; appoints and dismisses heads of administrative agencies; appoints and dismisses heads of local public administrations; among other powers.
The Government manages the activity of ministries, state committees, administrative agencies, and local state administrations and has the right to repeal acts passed by them.
The Legislative Government
Kyrgyzstan has a unicameral Parliament which is a single chamber called the Supreme Council or Jogorku Kengesh. It is the highest representative body that holds legislative power and the power of oversight of the Government and President. As such it has laws introduced and debated, possibly amended and either passed or rejected, it also has a number of other powers related to oversight such as confirmation of Supreme Court judges and other officials and bodies, such as the National Bank and Council on selection of Judges, and holds power of consent and control over declarations of war and emergency provisions such as the State of Emergency and Martial Law.
Legislative bills can be introduced by the Government, members of the Parliament, or by at least 10,000 voters known as a popular initiative.
The Parliament also adopts the law on appointing a referendum on a matter of national importance. The Parliament calls for regular Presidential Elections. Ratifies and denunciates international treaties in accordance with procedures envisaged by law. Approves the State Budget and reports on its execution. Decides on matters of administrative and territorial structure of country and state borders. Issues amnesty acts.
The Parliament approves the program of the activity of the Government and nationwide development programs submitted by the Government, and defines structure and composition of the Government except for members heading state agencies in charge of issues of defense and national security who are appointed by the President.
The Parliament elect, and in cases provided by law, dismiss the Ombudsman, and elects their, and in cases provided by law, dismisses their deputies.
Hears address from the President, representatives of foreign States, and international organisations. Hears the annual statement of the Ombudsman. Hears the annual reports of the Prime Minister, Prosecuter-General, Chairperson of the National Bank, and Chairperson of the Chamber of Accounts.
The Parliament decides on giving confidence to the Government and whether to hold a vote of no-confidence in the Government.
The purpose of the country’s armed forces is only for self-defense and defensive sufficiency, war is only recognised in cases of aggression against Kyrgyzstan and against other States bound by collective defense treaty/agreement. Permission of displacement of units of the armed forces beyond the territory of the country can only be granted by decision of the Supreme Council by at least a two-thirds majority.
The Supreme Council can vote to have the Prosecutor-General dismissed. Either with consent given by at least one-half of the total deputies, or on an initiative introduced by at least one-third of the total deputies and backed by at least a two-thirds majority.
As it stands the constitution fixes the Supreme Council to having 120 elected representatives. No party is allowed to have more than 65 representatives within the Supreme Council.
The deputies elect from among themselves the Speaker of the Supreme Council and his/her deputies. The Speaker, or Toraga, conducts sittings of Parliament; performs overall guidance and preparations of issues to be considered at sittings; signs acts adopted by the Parliament; represents the Parliament in an impartial manner; ensures Parliament’s interaction with the President, Government, judicial branch, and local self-government bodies; exercises general management and oversight over activity of administration of the Parliament.
The Speaker can be removed by deputies via a two-thirds majority vote. If the governing coalition/faction lose its majority, then the Speaker will require confirmation of their powers again via an absolute majority vote of deputies.
The Parliament forms committees from among deputies as well as temporary commissions and determines their composition. Chairpersons of the Budget Committee and the Committee on Law and Order must be from among representatives of the opposition.
Committees work to prepare and conduct preliminary review of issues referred to the competence of the Parliament and oversees implementation of laws and resolutions adopted by the Parliament.
The Parliament can vote by a two-thirds majority to dissolve itself, in such an event the President calls for early elections within 5-days which are not held later than 45-days.
The Electoral System
Presidential elections happen every 6-years and is limited to a single term for each person. Elections use a two-round system where the winner requires an absolute majority of votes to win outright in the first round, otherwise a second round is held between the top two candidates and is won by simple majority.
Candidates for President must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan, at least 35-years-old but no older than 70, has command of the state language, and has been resident in the Republic for at least 15-years. To be registered as a presidential candidate one must collect at least 30,000 voters’ signatures.
Upon taking office the President must terminate membership of their political party if a part of one and terminate any party activities.
Parliamentary elections to the Supreme Council take place every 5-years to elect the 120 members. All 120-members are elected from a single nationwide constituency using a proportional representation system that guarantees seats proportionally to parties/groups who reach a set quota of the national and regional votes.
For party lists 30% of candidates must be of each gender, with every 4th person being a different gender, lists also require at least 15% being ethnic minorities, 15% being under the age of 35, and at least two candidates who have disabilities.
Following elections, the members form factions within the Parliament and if needed coalitions of factions to attain a governing majority. If a coalition of factions that is a governing majority is formed, then for a faction to pull out of this coalition would require the said faction’s members to vote by resolution at least two-thirds majority of faction members to do so.
Candidates for Parliament must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan and be at least 21-years-old.
To vote in elections one must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan who is at least 18-years-old. Voting is not mandatory.
Sources
The source for this post comes from Kyrgyzstan’s constitution of 2010 with amendments through to 2016 (constituteproject.org) and so should be as up to date as possible but of course there is a chance I missed things or misinterpreted things and the constitution can be amended again and so this may one day become outdated, as such those using this seriously should perform cross-research.
Information on electoral procedure from CIA World Factbooks Kyrgyzstan page.
Change to the constitution is proposed by either a majority of the Supreme Council or by at least 300,000 voters through a popular initiative. Amendment is adopted by at least two-thirds majority each in three readings two months apart. Upon adoption the draft may also be submitted to be confirmed in a National Referendum. Once fully passed it becomes official upon signature of the President.
Next up will be the Government system of Laos.
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