Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2021. Thus far, his biggest selling points have been populist slogans and a history of being persecuted, a mark of quality for Kyrgyz politicians. The neighboring Central Asian nations have lukewarm relations due to ethnic tensions and border quarrels that arise periodically. Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov will arrive today in Uzbekistan for an official two-day visit. His habit of invoking “the people”, his careful cultivation of a mass following through social media and the thuggishness of some of his devotees have drawn comparisons to Donald Trump, which he rejects with a good-natured laugh: “I don’t consider myself a populist. However, whether Kyrgyzstan can be more of a partner and less of a burden internationally remains a wide-open question for the post-January period. ), “Ordinary people, especially young people, believe in me. The article was published in Zentralasien-Analysen Nr. Organised crime and corruption are blights that he insists he will fight, but he has been accused of complicity in both—a claim he dismisses as a political smear. Viber. Telegram. Avoiding the prospects of an international outcast does not require constant reassuring of partners or playing tough with them for not good reasons. By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service Kyrgyz President-elect Sooronbai Jeenbekov (left) sits with outgoing President Almazbek Atambaev. Recent arrests of the country’s infamous corruption hero, Raimbek Matraimov, and chief criminal, Kamchy Kolbaev looked very much like staged actions. Coronavirus in Kyrgyzstan . He’s suffered for the country and the people,” gushes Elzad Junusov, a supporter. It is precisely the chronic disrespect and disregard for the law by all presidents of the past years that explains high public support for clearly extralegal approaches. It will take a couple of years to fulfil his promise of better lives for his people, Mr Japarov warns. In case the above risks play out, Kyrgyzstan will also face the risk of turning into an international outcast. On the eve of 2020, Kyrgyzstan entered the zone of political turbulence. The president of Kyrgyzstan is the head of state and discharges several functions including appointing the prime minister and other government officials, nominates supreme court judge, directs foreign policy, signs law, and announces all election. The not-so democratic leaders did not shy away from trying some best practices of better democracies. President Sadyr Japarov and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today visited the innovative technology park Yashnabad in Tashkent. Capitalizing on the public support will require Japarov to share his vision for the country, point to key reforms, and select a team, best fit for the task. President Of Kyrgyzstan Resigns After Protesters Dispute Election Results . To his critics the new president is a dangerous demagogue, likely to roll back the hard-won political freedoms that make Kyrgyzstan stand out in a region of autocrats. Some actions will find public support. Although known as a more democratic country of the region, Kyrgyzstan has not experienced a peaceful handover of power to the opposition. In October, the gang-style grab of power earned a little reputation for Japarov internationally. The elections were overwhelmed by Sadyr Japarov, a populist politician and in prison until a few months ago. However, succeeding on painful reforms will require Japarov to simultaneously deliver tangible progress in many other areas, from creating jobs to fighting corruption. Kyrgyzstan: As Japarov assumes power, politicized arrests come thick and fast. Perhaps the biggest is the chance to push through critically important reforms, including highly unpopular ones. Finally, the voting results exposed more profound public dissatisfaction with both the sitting president and the political system. October 15, 2020. ReddIt. WhatsApp. Kyrgyzstan’s President-elect Sadyr Japarov took office as the head of state on Thursday. Others have already accused him of bringing his friends and relatives into high offices. Moreover, his recent rise involved all manner of legal contortions. With two of his predecessors in exile and another in jail, the stakes are high. The referendum on the form of governance, held on the same day, produced mirroring results. ■, This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "Steppe one", Published since September 1843 to take part in “a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.”. Foreign investors were spooked by mob attacks on businesses during the unrest in October. Sooronbai Jeenbekov, Kyrgyzstan's president, is shown in Bishkek on Oct. 4, speaking after a parliamentary election that has proven to be his undoing. Print. In January 2020, Kyrgyzstan voted for the new president. Digg. The president of Kyrgyzstan announces his resignation to try to end the turmoil that has engulfed the Central Asian nation after a disputed election. There are signs of populist disregard for institutions already. Although Kyrgyz politics can hardly be discussed in terms of ideologies, it is noteworthy that none of the liberal-leaning candidates received more than one per cent. In a statement Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020 released by his office. First, Japarov, like Bakiyev in 2005 and Atambayev in 2011, was a de-facto “post-revolutionary” leader, reaping all benefits from the fall of his unpopular predecessor. What is different is the explicit “people’s mandate” to disregard rules and laws that a populist leader will claim. The October protesters in Bishkek might have assumed rigged elections were the problem, but that was certainly not the only problem for the broader population. Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan Mongolia Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan World. What factors contributed to such rapid changes in Kyrgyz politics and what are their likely consequences in the coming years? Fearing the worst, President Jeenbekov and his government chose to self-isolate in full, disappearing from the public view for several days. Crossroads Central Asia | All rights reserved | 2020, The effects of remittances in Central Asia, The way forward for a regional diplomacy for peace in Afghanistan, A new president and old presidentialism in Kyrgyzstan, Report released on the COVID-19 and media consumption in Central Asia, Three decades of development aid in Tajikistan. 25. A CAMPAIGN ADVERT for Sadyr Japarov, the newly elected president of Kyrgyzstan, shows him galloping across a snowy expanse on a white steed, coattails flying in the slipstream. Tumblr. He whips out his phone to show photos of himself visiting Mr Japarov in prison. Facebook. “He really is a man of the people,” he adds. He comfortably beat some seventeen contenders. The first days after the inauguration will clear many issues. The above is not to say that the rule of law was better followed in the past. AKIPRESS.COM - The official ceremony of meeting of President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev was held today in Quqsaroy Residence. President of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov has declared his resignation after caving in to pressure by protesters. However, sidestepping the due process in the name of ensuring justice can easily lead to more important red lines to get crossed. The office of president was created in 1990. Japarov’s electoral victory removes the problem of political insecurity for a moment. “He’s good, honest and just. 0. This is a dangerous situation when the “will of people” gets directly juxtaposed to the system of rules, checks and balances. The president of Kyrgyzstan announced his resignation in a bid to end the turmoil that has engulfed the Central Asian nation after a disputed parliamentary election. It is being drafted with minimal public scrutiny. On October 15, Sooronbay Jeenbekov resigned Kyrgyzstan’s presidency, bowing to pressure from the country’s new prime minister, Sadyr Japarov, who became the country’s acting president before the end of the day. The final part discusses three areas that will be under risk if the popular vote produces populist strongman. Will the new leadership guarantee the rule of law and become the place of opportunities rather than dangers and failures? This left many to question whether the whole discourse of “parliamentary democracy in Kyrgyzstan” was not only misplaced and overblown but also inherently limited to a few quarters of central Bishkek. LINE. Mix. Three months later, Japarov became the elected president of the country. The president is directly elected for no more than one six-year term by the Kyrgyz electorate. Most policy reforms would get killed by corruption, incompetence or for political costs to the ruling regime. Share. Sadyr Japarov’s landslide electoral victory will likely embolden him to speak even more on behalf of “the people”. Opponents have labelled him a dangerous demagogue. The president says he would like the Cabinet to be even smaller. Sadyr Japarov at a recent press conference in Bishkek capital of Kyrgyzstan (Photo: AFP/VNA) Adding icing on his cake, voters also strongly endorsed Japarov’s proposal for a presidential form of governance in the country. Thus, Japarov recently claimed that those protesting against the referendum should be “taught a lesson” since they deny people’s right to choose. News and analytical articles about Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. The president of Kyrgyzstan is the head of state and the highest official of the Kyrgyz Republic. I’m going to rule fairly.”, Yet Mr Japarov participated in one of those discredited governments, toppled in 2010. Linkedin. Following the January vote, Kyrgyzstan is at a crossroads. Mr Japarov shrugs off suggestions that he is a dictator-in-waiting: “I’m a democratic person.” In his victory speech he sounded a conciliatory note, saying he had “no malice or hatred in his heart” and urging rivals to unite behind him. Another risk stemming from the January referendum is the continuous cycle of political instability. Escaping the “coup trap” will require Kyrgyzstan to experience and institutionalize peaceful power succession. Thus far, Kyrgyzstan has managed to retain a curious international personality. In a statement released by his office, Jeenbekov, who has faced calls to step down from protesters and political opponents, said holding on to power wasn't “worth the integrity of … Fresh from the prison cell, and commanding a devout crowd on the street, Japarov forced himself into high offices. In April 2010, following the ouster of president Kurmanbek Bakiev, political scientist Eric McGlinchey compared regime overthrows in Kyrgyzstan to running in circles, with a few people replacing each other. More ominously he also declared, “The minority should submit to the majority.”, Mr Japarov will need all the consensus he can muster if he is to make a success of the job. Shairbek Dzhuraev, PhD, is co-founder and president of Crossroads Central Asia. The overwhelming support of the population for the “presidential” system may also contribute. There are essential benefits of broad public support for Japarov. They entrust their fates and the fate of the country to me,” said an exhausted Mr Japarov, sipping tea as euphoric campaign staff bustled about. Kyrgyzstan’s southern province, which has a large concentration of ethnic Uzbeks, is an area of contention for Bishkek and Tashkent. The winner-takes-all nature of such systems means the cost of losing elections is too high. Bishkek (dpa) – Three months after the violent change of power in the high mountains of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, Sadyr Schaparov becomes the new president of the country. Sooronbay Jeenbekov said his decision to step down was because he respected the will of the people and he doesn’t want to cling to power. Past elections only led to the reelection of the incumbent or transfer of power to the close ally of the sitting president. However, the population extended a significant confidence vote to new leaders. Critical Kyrgyzstan vote for new president under way. Following the January vote, gloomy predictions are abundant in the country. Second, Japarov’s campaign targeted voters in the rural area, where his populist rhetoric and open disregard for the due process were easiest to sell. Voters on Sunday will choose the country’s next leader and decide on a new political system. A popular and empowered president may indeed have the above opportunity. Sadyr Japarov is elected president of Kyrgyzstan in a landslide, India seems to have suffered surprisingly few deaths from covid-19, Plastic surgery is thriving in Afghanistan—to the outrage of some, Getting information about North Korea’s gulag is harder than ever. FILE In this file photo taken on Friday, June 14, 2019, Kyrgyzstan's President Sooronbai Jeenbekov leaves a news conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The article reviews the latest developments and offers observations on key opportunities and risks for development and stability in Kyrgyzstan, arising from the January vote. Some point to the alleged links of Japarov to criminals and the former president Bakiev. The protests against rigged parliamentary elections in October 2020 led to the resignation of the president in Kyrgyzstan. (AP … Unpopular presidents, as Kyrgyzstan’s experience suggests, do not vacate the office before being forced to do so. The former president of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, survived an assassination attempt in Bishkek when his car was shot at, Russia’s RIA news agency cited an aide as saying. The COVID-19 pandemic has already exposed some of the “Potemkin village” elements of Kyrgyzstan’s statehood. Breaking News; President of Kyrgyzstan resigns amid political unrest. Japarov gained votes less for his achievements or ideas but more for emerging at the right time in the right place. Some questioned the Supreme Court’s dubious decision to acquit Japarov in October 2020. 145 on 29.01.2021. On October 14, parliament approved him as the new prime minister, and the next day he became acting president. The office of president was established in 1990 replacing the Chairman of the Supreme Sovietthat existed, in different forms, from 1… Even before the virus reached the country, the leaders rushed to seek external aid. The message is clear: Mr Japarov is a knight in shining armour (or at least in traditional Kyrgyz garb, which he wore on the campaign trail), racing to save the turbulent Central Asian nation, which has seen three popular uprisings in 15 years, including one this past autumn that put him on the path to power. Over 80% of voters endorsed “presidential form of governance”, clearing the path for a major constitutional overhaul. Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev (Kyrgyz: Алмазбек Шаршенович (Шаршен уулу) Атамбаев, Almazbek Şarşenoviç (Şarşen uulu) Atambayev; born 17 September 1956) is a Kyrgyz politician who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 1 December 2011 to 24 November 2017. Others claimed Japarov could not run for the president because of acting president status. Although that movement brought Mr Japarov to national prominence, he has backtracked on the idea since coming to power. Similarly, Japarov’s allies have already indicated a preference to fight corruption through negotiating with suspects behind closed doors instead of respecting the due process. For some, the election results came as a cold shower. The use of force in politics is “very alarming”, says Maksat Janibekov, a 30-year-old resident of Bishkek, the capital, referring to the mobs that have helped persuade many of Mr Japarov’s rivals to stand aside. The erosion of the rule of law in the name of “the people” will threaten vulnerable groups and minorities first and everyone else soon after. Ayzirek Imanaliyeva Feb 3, 2021. “Why repeat those mistakes? Now, suddenly, people voted to return to a presidential form of governance. However, they showed the general public that Japarov could do what Jeenbekov had not dared to do. Earlier in the environment Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic by a majority vote approved structure, structure and the program of the new government led by Maripov Ulukbek. His inauguration ceremony was broadcast live by the country’s state-run television. The contest for the presidency was rather symbolic, confirmed by unprecedentedly low turnout of under 40%. However, at a broader level, there are three areas under risk stemming from a populist president under a presidential system. art & … Unsurprisingly, in Bishkek, voters demonstrated the least support for Japarov and the biggest support for a parliamentary form of governance. Crossroads Central Asia is an independent research institute in Central Asia, CategoryReportsPosted on04.02.202106.02.2021AuthorShairbek Dzhuraev. The first part provides a brief recap of events that led to the January 10 vote. Your browser does not support the

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