Polls opened in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan on Sunday in a snap parliamentary election amid the arrests of opposition figures and the closure of independent media outlets.
It is expected to cement the grip of President Sadyr Zhaparov, who has sought to suppress dissent in what was once Central Asia’s most democratic country.
The vote is being held a year earlier than scheduled, a move that officials have justified by arguing that the parliamentary elections would otherwise fall too close to the 2027 presidential elections.
There have also been sweeping changes to Kyrgyzstan’s electoral system, with 30 constituencies electing three lawmakers each. According to the Central Election Commission, 467 candidates are vying for the 90 seats in Kyrgyzstan’s one-chamber parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh. There’s also a gender quota system that requires at least one female lawmaker from each district.
Analysts say candidates loyal to Zhaparov are likely to succeed thanks to the rapidly growing economy over which the Kyrgyz leader presides, fueled in part by Kyrgyzstan’s role in circumventing sanctions against Russia.
Kyrgyzstan, one of the poorest countries to emerge from the former Soviet Union, is a member of Russia-dominated economic and security alliances, hosts a Russian air base and depends on Moscow’s economic support. It was formerly the site of a US air base that was used in the war in Afghanistan.