A rally against the results of the 2020 Kyrgyz parliamentary election takes place in central Bishkek. Photo: Abylai Saralayev\TASS via Getty Images
Kyrgyzstanâs electoral commission said Tuesday it had scrapped the results of a disputed vote and would hold fresh parliamentary elections, after protesters stormed the seat of government and the opposition claimed to have seized power.Government and opposition figures were jostling for control of the former Soviet republic Tuesday, after a night of unrest that plunged the country into political chaos. Officials said at least one person was killed and 590 wounded amid Mondayâs nightâs uprising, which saw protesters ransack the presidential office and free the country's former president, Almazbek Atambayev, from a nearby detention center where he was being held on corruption charges.President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, whose office was stormed by angry protesters Monday night, said the protests were an attempt to overthrow the government, and refused to relinquish power, as reports emerged that the opposition was formulating its plans for an interim administration, and an opposition politician claimed the role of acting Interior Minister.The political chaos erupted in the wake of Sundayâs parliamentary elections, which had been marred by what international monitors called credible allegations of vote-buying. Only four of 16 parties passed the 7 percent threshold for entry into parliament, with the two parties that swept the vote being openly supportive of Jeenbekov.Alex Melikishvili, a principal research analyst at IHS Markit, told VICE News that the Oct. 4 elections had been marred by serious irregularities, with widespread reports of vote-buying, voter confidentiality being disregarded and public sector employees being pressured to vote for pro-government parties.âKyrgyzstan is a very poor country and there were a lot of reports of vote-buying,â he said.âDissatisfaction with President Jeenbekovâs mishandling of the pandemic and endemic corruption is widespread,â she said. âThe COVID-19 pandemic impoverished vast swathes of the Kyrgyz population, pushing them to the brink of starvation and making them vulnerable to vote-buying.âShe said that rival forces were still jostling for control of the country of 6.5 million people amid the chaotic aftermath of Mondayâs uprising.âThe situation is extremely fluid, with negotiations and power plays currently taking place behind the scenes between the key players and groups,â she said. âOpposition leaders have come forward and appointed themselves to senior positions, but President Jeenbekov is refusing to relinquish power.âShe said there was a clear public demand for Jeenbekov to go, and a high probability that he would be ousted within a few days. âRussia will play a decisive role in his longevity as president,â she said.Melikishvili said that the unrest had been calmed somewhat by the electoral commissionâs decision to annul the disputed elections, and that an ongoing emergency session of the countryâs legislature could play a critical role in finding a solution. âIf the parliament impeaches President Jeenbekov, the crisis will be somewhat defused,â he said.Opposition parties had gathered for a peaceful mass rally Monday, calling for Jeenbekov's resignation and a do-over election, before events spiralled spectacularly out of control.Footage showed riot police using tear gas, water cannons and stun grenades in their attempts to hold back mobs of protesters, who were able to force them into retreat in places.
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Kate Mallinson, an associate fellow at the Chatham House international affairs think-tank, told VICE News that Jeenbekovâs mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic had also stoked dissatisfaction with his leadership, and had plunged many Kyrgyz into poverty, making them more susceptible to efforts to buy their vote.
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Protesters then stormed the government building, climbing fences or forcing their way through gates. Video circulated on social media showed wild scenes as protesters ransacked the complex, including Jeenbekovâs presidential office and the legislature, throwing paper from the windows as fires burned in parts of the building before being extinguished by emergency services.
The former Soviet republic has previously experienced uprisings that overthrew authoritarian presidents in 2005 and 2010, and has been blighted by corruption. Analysts said that Jeenbekovâs departure would help to defuse the current tensions, but wouldnât spell an end to the turbulence.âWe can expect a political rollercoaster over the next few weeks as different groups and players vie for influence and fill any vacuum that Jeenbekov creates if he leaves,â said Mallinson.âWhether the republic can break its cycle of corrupt leadership depends on whether we see ⊠new, younger leaders being allowed to enter the government.â