2015 Kyrgyz parliamentary election

2015 Kyrgyz parliamentary election

4 October 2015 (2015-10-04)
All 120 seats to the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan 61 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	58.89% ( 2.11 pp)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Chynybai Tursunbekov Ömürbek Babanov Kamchybek Tashiev Kanatbek Isaev Party SDPK Respublika–Ata Zhurt Kyrgyzstan Party Leader since 2011 20 October 2014 9 June 2015 Last election 26 23 new party Seats won 38 28 18 Seat change 12 23 18 Popular vote 435,804 320,115 206,094 Percentage 27.35% 20.08% 12.93%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   File:Tekebaev 2 (cropped).jpg Leader Bakyt Torobayev Altynbek Sulaymanov Omurbek Tekebayev Party Onuguu–Progress Bir Bol Ata Meken Leader since 25 April 2013 28 June 2010 16 December 1992 Last election new party new party 18 Seats won 13 12 11 Seat change 13 12 7 Popular vote 148,279 135,875 123,055 Percentage 9.30% 8.52% 7.72%
Prime Minister before election Temir Sariyev Independent Elected Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov Independent

Results of the election by districts:

  Social Democratic Party

  Respublika-Ata Zhurt

  Kyrgyzstan Party

  Onuguu-Progress

  Bir Bol

  Ata-Meken Socialist Party

A school building being used as a polling place during the 2015 election

Parliamentary elections were held in Kyrgyzstan on 4 October 2015.

Electoral system

The 120 seats in the Supreme Council were elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency, with an electoral threshold of 7% on the national level, as well as 0.7 % on each of the nine provinces. No party is allowed to hold more than 65 seats. Party lists were required to have at least 30% of the candidates from each gender, and every fourth candidate had to be of a different gender. Each list was also required to have at least 15% of the candidates being from ethnic minorities.

Biometric voter registration was introduced following claims of vote rigging in previous elections.

Campaign

Several political parties were formed in the run-up to the elections, often as an attempt by wealthy Kyrgyz to further their own interests. Incumbent Prime Minister Temir Sariyev claimed that places on party lists were sold to bidders, with rumours circulating that a high place on a party's list cost between $500,000 and £1,000,000.

Over 10% of prospective candidates were prevented from running due to criminal convictions, whilst one party's leader, a former boxer, was banned after it was claimed they beat up a rival candidate.

Conduct

Although there were some reports of voter fraud, the OSCE mission stated that the elections had been "lively and competitive" and "unique in this region", whilst the PACE mission stated that voters had "made their choice freely among a large number of contestants."

However, the OSCE noted problems with the biometric voter registration, with many people not having registered in time to receive their ID cards. The Council of Europe raised concerns regarding transparency of campaigns and party financing, stating that it should be improved.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Social Democratic Party	435,968	27.35	38	+12
	Respublika–Ata Zhurt	320,115	20.08	28	–23
	Kyrgyzstan Party	206,094	12.93	18	New
	Onuguu–Progress	148,279	9.30	13	New
	Bir Bol	135,875	8.52	12	New
	Ata Meken Socialist Party	123,055	7.72	11	–7
	Butun Kyrgyzstan–Emgek	97,869	6.14	0	0
	Zamandash	43,405	2.72	0	0
	Uluu Kyrgyzstan	23,899	1.50	0	New
	Ar-Namys	12,807	0.80	0	–25
	Meken Yntymygy	12,679	0.80	0	New
	Congress of the Peoples of Kyrgyzstan	9,619	0.60	0	New
	Aalam	6,398	0.40	0	New
	Azattyk	5,355	0.34	0	New
	Against all	12,428	0.78	–	–
Invalid/blank votes		32,410	–	–	–
Total		1,626,255	100	120	0
Registered voters/turnout		2,761,297	58.89	–	–
Source: CEC