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6d ago

Kyrgyzstan Votes in Snap Parliamentary Election Poised to Bolster Japarov's Grip

Rule changes sidelined parties, leaving no organised opposition in the snap poll.

Members of a local electoral commission visit voters during home voting in the snap parliamentary elections in the village of Arashan, Kyrgyzstan November 29, 2025. REUTERS/Vladimir Pirogov
Members of a local electoral commission visit a voter during home voting in the snap parliamentary elections in the village of Arashan, Kyrgyzstan November 29, 2025. REUTERS/Vladimir Pirogov
A member of a local electoral commission helps a woman to cast her ballot into a mobile ballot box in her house during the snap parliamentary elections in the village of Arashan, Kyrgyzstan, November 29, 2025. REUTERS/Vladimir Pirogov
A Kyrgyz Army soldier casts his ballot during the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Tash-Dobo, 19 km (11 miles) south of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Vladimir Voronin)

Overview

  • Authorities reshaped the electoral system so only one party is participating, with most candidates running as individuals.
  • About 4.3 million voters are selecting 90 MPs from 467 candidates, with at least 30 seats reserved for women.
  • Allies of President Sadyr Japarov are expected to win decisively, positioning him strongly ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
  • Around 10 opposition figures were arrested in the days before voting as part of a broader crackdown that has also branded some independent journalists as extremists.
  • Japarov has tightened ties with Russia, highlighted by Vladimir Putin’s recent visit, while rapid growth linked to redirected trade coincides with Western sanctions on some Kyrgyz financial actors and persistent electricity shortages.