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1 1 (December 14, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govddaf0001 and id is 1 raw text is: SConr essional Research Servik Kyrgyz Republic Set to Hold Snap Presidential Election and Constitutional Referendum after Parliamentary Elections Annulled Updated December 14, 2020 The Kyrgyz Republic (commonly known as Kyrgyzstan) faces political upheaval following the annulment of disputed parliamentary elections that heavily favored pro-government parties. Opposition parties alleged widespread irregularities in the October 4, 2020, vote, including vote-buying and voter intimidation; these assertions were deemed credible by international election observers. While no date has been set for new parliamentary elections, a snap presidential election and a controversial constitutional referendum, both scheduled for January 10, 2021, are raising concerns among some observers about democracy and rule of law in the country. As a parliamentary republic that holds contested elections, Kyrgyzstan has long been considered the most democratic country in Central Asia, with a vibrant civil society and a higher degree of press freedom than found elsewhere in the region. Promoting a more inclusive and accountable democracy is a stated goal of U.S. foreign policy in Kyrgyzstan, and Kyrgyzstan is one of 21 countries worldwide that participate in the House Democracy Partnership. Many Members of Congress and other U.S. policymakers have long voiced support for consolidating Kyrgyzstan's gains as Central Asia's only parliamentary democracy. Corruption is pervasive, however, and political institutions remain weak. In light of recent developments, U.S. officials have expressed concerns about the influence of organized crime in Kyrgyz politics. Under the laws in force at the time of the October 4 vote, a party had to receive at least 7% of the overall vote to secure seats in parliament-one of the highest electoral thresholds in the world. Because the country's two largest parliamentary groupings had fractured in recent years, there were no clear front- runners in the October elections. Of the 16 parties that fielded candidates, 5 are new and 3 currently hold parliamentary seats. Nevertheless, the candidates included many veteran politicians reshuffled into new groupings. Although Kyrgyzstan enjoys a greater degree of political pluralism than its Central Asian neighbors, in the assessment of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, political parties are built around personalities, rather than around platforms, and tend to rely on funding from businesses, thus often reflecting private interests. According to preliminary results issued by the Central Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress. gov IN11517 CRS ENSGHT Prepared for Members and Comm :tees o Congmss ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------

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