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1 1 (December 1, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/goveexf0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional tResearch Service Parliamentary Elections in the Kyrgyz Republic December 1, 2021 On November 28, 2021, the Kyrgyz Republic (commonly known as Kyrgyzstan) held parliamentary elections for the first time since the annulment of a disputed October 2020 electoral contest that led to unrest and political upheaval. The November 28 elections were the first to take place under a new constitution that significantly bolsters presidential powers at the expense of the legislature and that has drawn criticism both for the manner in which it was adopted and for weakening checks and balances in the government. Kyrgyzstan has been considered by scholars and nongovernmental organizations as the most democratic country in Central Asia for most of the 30 years since its independence. It is one of 21 countries worldwide that participate in the House Democracy Partnership. However, recent events have raised concerns about the future of democracy and rule of law in the country. In 2021, FreedomHouse classified Kyrgyzstan as not free for the first time in 11 years. Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) deemed the November elections competitive but noted that constitutional changes weakening parliament, subsequent extensive legislative changes to key aspects of the elections, a stifled campaign and overall voter disillusionment hindered meaningful engagement. Some observers have raised concerns for many about the consolidation of presidential power in what was formerly Central Asia's only parliamentary republic. Nevertheless, populist President Sadyr Japarov has mobilized significant support. Background:A Weakened Parliament After Kyrgyzstan experienced periods of political upheaval that ousted authoritarian-leaning presidents in 2005 and 2010, a new constitution adopted in 2010 limited the presidency to one six-year term and converted the country to a semi-parliamentary system. Since that time, Kyrgyzstan's government has been undermined by corruption, and analysts have raised concerns about democratic backsliding in the country. According to Freedom House, by 2020, Kyrgyzstan's legislature had de facto surrendered its constitutionally mandated power over the executive and become a rubber-stamp body. The country experienced further political turmoil following disputed October 2020 parliamentary elections that Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11812 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Membersand Committeesof Congress

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