In Kyrgyzstan, referendum supports new constitution to expand presidential powers / Article / LSM.lv

In a referendum in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday, a majority of voters supported the country’s new constitution, which seeks to extend the president’s term of office and allow the president to run for a second term.

After processing the protocols of 95% of polling stations, the Central Election Commission announced that 79% of the participants in the referendum had supported the draft constitution of the new state, while 14% voted against it.

36% of eligible citizens participated in the referendum. In order for the referendum to be recognized, at least 30% of eligible citizens had to participate.

The initiator of the referendum is the current President Sadir Zhaparov. The decision to hold a referendum was taken by parliament a month ago.

The proposed system will bring the Kyrgyz constitution closer to the basic laws of other Central Asian countries and Russia.

The proposals abandon the principle that the President can only serve for one six-year term and cannot run for a second term. This principle was introduced in 2010 when authoritarian President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was overthrown in popular protests. In 2005, his predecessor, Askar Akayev, was overthrown in the so-called tulip revolution.

The new draft constitution stipulates that the president cannot be elected for more than two consecutive five-year terms. The draft also envisages increasing the powers of the president and reducing the powers of parliament.

Sooronbay Jekenbekov became the third president of Kyrgyzstan in October last year, resigning due to political chaos, resigning two weeks after street protesters challenged the results of the parliamentary elections, which were later overturned.

Populist Zhaparov was released from prison during last year’s riots, then became interim leader, but won a convincing victory in the presidential election in January.

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