Kyrgyzstani constitutional referendum, 2010
Encyclopedia
A constitutional referendum was held in Kyrgyzstan
on 2010 to reduce presidential powers and strengthen democracy in the wake of the 2010 Kyrgyzstani riots. Parliamentary elections followed on 2010.
, the interim administration of Roza Otunbayeva
called for a referendum to decrease presidential powers. The proposed constitution would make Kyrgyzstan Central Asia's first parliamentary republic.
In the weeks prior to the election ethnic unrest
in the south of the country (Bakiyev's home region) in the cities of Osh
and Jalal-Abad
between minority Uzbek
s and indigenous Kyrgyz curfew was imposed in a clampdown by Bishkek. Some refugees returned from camps in Uzbekistan amid a humanitarian crisis. The curfew was lifted for the elections. In Bishkek, the situation was reportedly "calm, with people displaying a mixture of skepticism and hope that the vote would create a new future for Kyrgyzstan."
The vote came amid international fears over the stability of the country.
The interim government's deputy leader Omurbek Tekebayev responded to this criticism saying the foreign intelligence bureaus imply that the parliamentary democracy envisioned in the referendum was incompatible with Kyrgyzstan. "Some top officials from different states have spoken about a possible Afghanization of Kyrgyzstan, about a break-up of the state. I mean the statements by President Dmitry Medvedev and others. It is possible they have been misinformed, that they blindly believe the officials from their special services who have long been at the service of the local oligarchs."
. It would also allow parliament to choose a prime minister
and play a key role in forming the new government.
said the result might lead to a "collapse of the state" as "eventually, won't it enable the political parties, which have extremist direction, to receive the power?".
The U.S. Department of State praised the referendum and called upon the provisional government and people of Kyrgyzstan to "advance the process of reconciliation and accountability to ensure future interethnic harmony and move Kyrgyzstan forward on the path toward stability, security, democracy and prosperity for all citizens of the republic."
, with an expanded and further empowered parliament, the pro-Baikiyev Ata-Zhurt
party won a plurality as it advocated rolling back the new laws and bringing the former president back from exile.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
on 2010 to reduce presidential powers and strengthen democracy in the wake of the 2010 Kyrgyzstani riots. Parliamentary elections followed on 2010.
Background
Following the ouster of Kurmanbek BakiyevKurmanbek Bakiyev
Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev is a politician who served as the second President of Kyrgyzstan, from 2005 to 2010...
, the interim administration of Roza Otunbayeva
Roza Otunbayeva
Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva is a Kyrgyz diplomat and politican who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 7 April 2010 until 1 December 2011. She was sworn in on July 3, 2010, after acting as interim leader following the 2010 April revolution which led to the ousting of then President Kurmanbek...
called for a referendum to decrease presidential powers. The proposed constitution would make Kyrgyzstan Central Asia's first parliamentary republic.
In the weeks prior to the election ethnic unrest
2010 South Kyrgyzstan riots
The 2010 South Kyrgyzstan riots were clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan, primarily in the cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad, in the aftermath of the ouster of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on April 7. It is part of the larger 2010 Kyrgyzstan crisis. Violence that...
in the south of the country (Bakiyev's home region) in the cities of Osh
Osh
Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, located in the Fergana Valley in the south of the country and often referred to as the "capital of the south". The city is at least 3,000 years old, and has served as the administrative center of Osh Province since 1939...
and Jalal-Abad
Jalal-Abad
Jalalabat is the administrative and economic centre of Jalal-Abad Province in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, with a population of about 150,000...
between minority Uzbek
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
s and indigenous Kyrgyz curfew was imposed in a clampdown by Bishkek. Some refugees returned from camps in Uzbekistan amid a humanitarian crisis. The curfew was lifted for the elections. In Bishkek, the situation was reportedly "calm, with people displaying a mixture of skepticism and hope that the vote would create a new future for Kyrgyzstan."
The vote came amid international fears over the stability of the country.
The interim government's deputy leader Omurbek Tekebayev responded to this criticism saying the foreign intelligence bureaus imply that the parliamentary democracy envisioned in the referendum was incompatible with Kyrgyzstan. "Some top officials from different states have spoken about a possible Afghanization of Kyrgyzstan, about a break-up of the state. I mean the statements by President Dmitry Medvedev and others. It is possible they have been misinformed, that they blindly believe the officials from their special services who have long been at the service of the local oligarchs."
Constitutional changes
The new consititution would make Kyrgyzstan a parliamentary democracy, moving it away from a presidential systemPresidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
. It would also allow parliament to choose a prime minister
Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan
The Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan is the head of government of Kyrgyzstan. Generally, the President is in a stronger position than the Prime Minister in Kyrgyzstan. The president is allowed to appoint the Prime Minister temporarily, and his appointment is known as the acting Prime Minister...
and play a key role in forming the new government.
Result
The result was a resounding "Yes," with more than 90 per cent of voters supporting the amendment to the constitution. Sixty-nine percent of voters voted from a total of eligible voters. Kyrgyzstan was therefore legally able to implement a parliamentary system similar to much of Europe. The result, however, did not include many of the 400,000 ethnic Uzbeks who had left during recent ethnic clashes since they were residing in Uzbekistan at the time of elections.Reactions
President of Russia Dmitry MedvedevDmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
said the result might lead to a "collapse of the state" as "eventually, won't it enable the political parties, which have extremist direction, to receive the power?".
The U.S. Department of State praised the referendum and called upon the provisional government and people of Kyrgyzstan to "advance the process of reconciliation and accountability to ensure future interethnic harmony and move Kyrgyzstan forward on the path toward stability, security, democracy and prosperity for all citizens of the republic."
Aftermath
Following the legislative electionKyrgyzstani parliamentary election, 2010
An early parliamentary election was held in Kyrgyzstan on 10 October 2010. All 120 seats of the Jogorku Kenesh were elected by using a party list system...
, with an expanded and further empowered parliament, the pro-Baikiyev Ata-Zhurt
Ata-Zhurt
Ata-Zhurt, sometimes Ata-Jurt, , or Fatherland, is a political party in Kyrgyzstan. Its political base is in the south of the country, but the party is headquartered in the capital Bishkek...
party won a plurality as it advocated rolling back the new laws and bringing the former president back from exile.