Kyrgyzstan's parliamentary vote to boost president's clout

MOSCOW – Voters successful Kyrgyzstan formed ballots successful a parliamentary predetermination Sunday that comes conscionable implicit a twelvemonth aft a forceful alteration of authorities successful the ex-Soviet Central Asian nation.

President Sadyr Zhaparov, who was elected successful January pursuing protests that ousted his predecessor, expects the ballot to further cement his grip connected power.

Kyrgyzstan, a federation of 6.5 cardinal that borders China, is simply a subordinate of Russia-dominated economical and information alliances. It hosts a Russian aerial basal and depends connected Moscow’s fiscal support.

Zhaparov was serving an 11 1/2-year condemnation connected charges of abducting a determination politician amid a quality implicit a golden excavation erstwhile helium was freed by stone-hurling supporters who challenged the results of the October 2020 parliamentary election.

Last year's unrest marked the 3rd convulsive ouster of the country's person successful 15 years. Like the erstwhile uprisings that toppled presidents successful 2005 and 2010, the 2020 turmoil was driven by clan rivalries that signifier the country’s politics.

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After his election, Zhaparov pushed for a referendum that approved a caller Constitution that substantially accrued statesmanlike powers astatine the disbursal of parliament. It reduced the size of the country’s parliament from 120 to 90 seats and gave the president the powerfulness to name judges and heads of instrumentality enforcement agencies.

Tensions were rising successful the state up of the vote, with Zhaparov accusing his governmental foes of plotting a mutiny and informing that those who effort to signifier post-election riots would look prosecution.

“Some politicians are readying an equipped coup," Zhaparov said. "We cognize them all, and aft the ballot we volition instrumentality harsh measures against them. People who would instrumentality to the streets without a crushed volition look a terrible punishment.”

On Friday, the nationalist information bureau said it had foiled a coup crippled involving respective “destructively-minded” parliament members and erstwhile elder officials who were accused of recruiting astir 1,000 supporters and stockpiling weapons and drugs to signifier post-election riots.

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On Saturday, the Kyrgyz authorities announced the detention of 4 representatives of governmental parties connected charges of trying to bargain votes.

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