Kyrgyzstan is voting in a snap parliamentary election that is widely expected to strengthen President Sadyr Japarov’s grip on power. Sunday’s polls are taking place without any formal political parties or organised opposition, making a victory for the president’s allies almost certain.
Japarov, a populist nationalist who rose to prominence during the 2020 protests, has gradually consolidated authority across the Central Asian nation. Once considered the region’s most democratic country, Kyrgyzstan has seen a steady erosion of media freedom and political pluralism under his leadership.
The decision to hold the election earlier than planned followed a parliamentary vote in September to dissolve itself. With the vote now under way, expectations are that a resounding majority of lawmakers loyal to Japarov will return to parliament—setting the stage for the 2027 presidential election, where he is expected to seek another term.
Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous nation of about seven million people, once experienced vibrant political activity and some of the region’s freest media. Its history includes multiple uprisings that toppled leaders in 2005, 2010, and 2020 after disputed elections. But since coming to power, Japarov has overseen an extensive clampdown, including the designation of independent journalists as “extremists.”
Defending this approach, Edil Baisalov, the deputy prime minister and a close ally of the president, argues that previous attempts to model Western-style democracy brought instability without improving living standards. He insists that tighter control is needed to shield the country from harmful influences he claims are amplified by foreign social media platforms.
Some opposition figures still running independently say they expect the new parliament to remain dominated—up to 80 percent—by pro-Japarov lawmakers. The president’s popularity is also buoyed by strong economic growth, reportedly the fastest in Central Asia, even though citizens continue to face high inflation and power shortages.
Officials and analysts say part of the economic boom is linked to Kyrgyzstan becoming a key channel for goods redirected to Russia under Western sanctions. This activity has attracted scrutiny from Western governments, which have imposed sanctions on several Kyrgyz banks and cryptocurrency companies accused of helping Moscow evade restrictions.
In the lead-up to the vote, Japarov has also drawn closer to Russia, which maintains military bases in the country and hosts many Kyrgyz migrant workers. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Bishkek—accompanied by billboards displaying his image—underlined the deepening relationship.
