President of Kyrgyzstan
Encyclopedia
The President of Kyrgyzstan is the head of state
and the highest official of Kyrgyzstan
. The President, according to the constitution
, "is the symbol of the unity of people and state power, and is the guarantor of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, and of an individual and citizen." The President is directly elected for no more than two five-year terms by the Kyrgyz electorate. The office of President was established in 1990 replacing the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet that existed, in different forms, from 1927 whilst the country was known as the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
.
The first popularly-elected office-holder was Askar Akayev
, who served from October, 1990 until March 24, 2005. In July 2005, Kurmanbek Bakiyev
was elected. He was re-elected
in 2009, but large riots in April 2010 forced him to resign and flee the country. Roza Otunbayeva
was selected in April 2010 to head the interim government. She was officially inaugurated on July 3, 2010 as President, but term limited. Her successor, Almazbek Atambayev
, was elected in the Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2011
and rook over on 1 December 2011.
, and have resided in the Republic for no less than 15 years before the nomination of his or her candidacy for the position. The President cannot be a deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), occupy other positions, or carry out entrepreneurial activities, and must suspend activity in political parties
and organizations for their period in office.
On taking office the President must take the following oath
, stipulated by Article 45 of the constitution, within 30 days of election before the assembled members of the legislative chamber:
, and by secret ballot. To become a candidate a person must obtain the signatures of fifty thousand registered voters.
For an election to be considered valid the turnout must not be lower than fifty percent. Similarly, if a candidate wins the backing of fifty percent of the voters who participated they are the winner. Should no candidate win an outright majority in the first round, the two candidates with the highest number of votes face each other in a second ballot.
or another grievous crime supported by a ruling of the Constitutional Court. Such a decision requires the support of two-thirds of the Jogorku Kenesh who are immediately dismissed should the President be found innocent.
, the Prime Minister shall carry out their duties until the election of a new Head of State. This must take place within three months of the termination of their Presidency.
To date, Kyrgyzstan knew no peaceful transition of power from president to president. Both Askar Akayev and Kurmanbek Bakiev were forced to leave their chairs by a civil unrest.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and the highest official of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
. The President, according to the constitution
Constitution of Kyrgyzstan
The Constitution of Kyrgyzstan is the supreme law of the Kyrgyz Republic . The constitution in force until 2010 was passed by referendum on 21 October 2007 and it is based on the first post-Soviet constitution originally adopted on 5 May 1993, a year and a half after the country had gained...
, "is the symbol of the unity of people and state power, and is the guarantor of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, and of an individual and citizen." The President is directly elected for no more than two five-year terms by the Kyrgyz electorate. The office of President was established in 1990 replacing the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet that existed, in different forms, from 1927 whilst the country was known as the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
The Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Kirghiz SSR, the Kyrgyz SSR, or even Kirghizia, was one of republics that made up the Soviet Union...
.
The first popularly-elected office-holder was Askar Akayev
Askar Akayev
Askar Akayevich Akayev served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 1990 until his overthrow in the March 2005 Tulip Revolution....
, who served from October, 1990 until March 24, 2005. In July 2005, Kurmanbek Bakiyev
Kurmanbek Bakiyev
Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev is a politician who served as the second President of Kyrgyzstan, from 2005 to 2010...
was elected. He was re-elected
Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2009
A presidential election was held in Kyrgyzstan on 23 July 2009. The date was set after the constitutional court ruled that the extension of the presidential term from four to five years did not apply until the next presidential election, calling for elections by 25 October 2009; in response, a...
in 2009, but large riots in April 2010 forced him to resign and flee the country. Roza Otunbayeva
Roza Otunbayeva
Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva is a Kyrgyz diplomat and politican who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 7 April 2010 until 1 December 2011. She was sworn in on July 3, 2010, after acting as interim leader following the 2010 April revolution which led to the ousting of then President Kurmanbek...
was selected in April 2010 to head the interim government. She was officially inaugurated on July 3, 2010 as President, but term limited. Her successor, Almazbek Atambayev
Almazbek Atambayev
Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev is the President of Kyrgyzstan since 1 December 2011. He previously was Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 17 December 2010 to 1 December 2011, having also been Prime Minister from 29 March 2007 until 28 November 2007...
, was elected in the Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2011
Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2011
Early presidential elections were held in Kyrgyzstan on 30 October 2011 to replace Interim President Roza Otunbayeva. It was won in the first round by the former Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan.-Background:...
and rook over on 1 December 2011.
Qualifications
The office of President is open to all citizens of Kyrgyzstan, who are no younger than 35 years of age, and no older than 65 years of age. A candidate must have a command of the state languageLanguage
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
, and have resided in the Republic for no less than 15 years before the nomination of his or her candidacy for the position. The President cannot be a deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), occupy other positions, or carry out entrepreneurial activities, and must suspend activity in political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
and organizations for their period in office.
On taking office the President must take the following oath
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
, stipulated by Article 45 of the constitution, within 30 days of election before the assembled members of the legislative chamber:
Electoral Law
The President is elected by the citizens of Kyrgyzstan by a majority of votes cast. These elections are held on the basis of universal suffrageUniversal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
, and by secret ballot. To become a candidate a person must obtain the signatures of fifty thousand registered voters.
For an election to be considered valid the turnout must not be lower than fifty percent. Similarly, if a candidate wins the backing of fifty percent of the voters who participated they are the winner. Should no candidate win an outright majority in the first round, the two candidates with the highest number of votes face each other in a second ballot.
Duties and functions
The head of state holds significant power as provided for in the constitution. This states that they have the authority to:- Appoint the Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and other members of governmentGovernmentGovernment refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
- Present candidates to Parliament for positions within the Supreme CourtSupreme courtA supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
- Direct foreign policyForeign policyA country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...
- Present and sign law
- Announce all elections and enact decrees
- Be Commander in Chief of the Armed ForcesArmed ForcesArmed Forces is Elvis Costello's third album, his second with the Attractions, and the first to officially credit the Attractions on the cover. It was released in the UK by Radar Records and in the U.S. by Columbia in 1979...
Impeachment
The President may be dismissed from office by Parliament only on the basis of a charge made by the Legislative Assembly of state treasonTreason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
or another grievous crime supported by a ruling of the Constitutional Court. Such a decision requires the support of two-thirds of the Jogorku Kenesh who are immediately dismissed should the President be found innocent.
Succession
If the President becomes unable to carry out their duties for reasons such as death, illness or impeachmentImpeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
, the Prime Minister shall carry out their duties until the election of a new Head of State. This must take place within three months of the termination of their Presidency.
To date, Kyrgyzstan knew no peaceful transition of power from president to president. Both Askar Akayev and Kurmanbek Bakiev were forced to leave their chairs by a civil unrest.
List of Presidents of Kyrgyzstan
The first column consecutively numbers the individuals who have served as president, while the second column consecutively numbers the Presidential terms or administrations.| I# | A# | Name | Picture | Took office | Left office | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1st Kyrgyz presidential election, 1991 Presidential elections was held for the first time in Kyrgyzstan on 13 October 1991. The only candidate was Askar Akayev, who won 95.4% of the vote. Voter turnout reported to be 89.0%.-Results:... |
Askar Akayev Askar Akayev Askar Akayevich Akayev served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 1990 until his overthrow in the March 2005 Tulip Revolution.... Аскар Акаев |
27 October 1990 | 29 October 1995 | Non-partisan | |
| 2nd Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 1995 Presidential elections was held in Kyrgyzstan on 24 December 1995. The result was a victory for incumbent President Askar Akayev, who won 72.4% of the vote. Voter turnout reported to be 86.2%.-Results:... |
29 October 1995 | 29 October 2000 | ||||
| 3rd Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2000 Presidential elections were held in Kyrgyzstan on 29 October 2000. The result was a victory for incumbent President Askar Akayev, who was re-elected with over 70% of the vote, in a vote international election monitors described as having failing to meet international standards. Voter turnout was... |
29 October 2000 | 24 March 2005 (ousted) Tulip Revolution The Tulip Revolution or First Kyrgyz Revolution refers to the overthrow of President Askar Akayev and his government in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan after the parliamentary elections of February 27 and of March 13, 2005... |
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| — | — | Ishenbai Kadyrbekov Ishenbai Kadyrbekov Ishenbai Duyshonbiyevich Kadyrbekov was the parliament speaker and the interim president of Kyrgyzstan in March 2005.-References:-See also:* Politics of Kyrgyzstan... Ишенбай Кадырбеков (Interim) |
24 March 2005 | 25 March 2005 | Non-partisan | |
| — | — | (Interim) | 25 March 2005 | 14 August 2005 | People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan is an electoral alliance formed on September 22, 2004 in Kyrgyzstan. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was chosen as the movement's Chairman at the alliance's November 5 founding congress. It was created to contest the February 2005 parliamentary elections.Following his... ↓ Ak Jol |
|
| 2nd | 4th | Kurmanbek Bakiyev Kurmanbek Bakiyev Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev is a politician who served as the second President of Kyrgyzstan, from 2005 to 2010... Курманбек Бакиев |
14 August 2005 | 23 July 2009 | ||
| 5th Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2009 A presidential election was held in Kyrgyzstan on 23 July 2009. The date was set after the constitutional court ruled that the extension of the presidential term from four to five years did not apply until the next presidential election, calling for elections by 25 October 2009; in response, a... |
23 July 2009 | 7 April 2010 (ousted) 15 April 2010 (resigned) |
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| — | — | (Interim) | 7 April 2010 (self-proclaimed) |
3 July 2010 | Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan is a political party in Kyrgyzstan. Members formed the party on 1 October 1993, but did not register with the Justice Ministry until 16 December 1994... |
|
| 3rd | Roza Otunbayeva Roza Otunbayeva Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva is a Kyrgyz diplomat and politican who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 7 April 2010 until 1 December 2011. She was sworn in on July 3, 2010, after acting as interim leader following the 2010 April revolution which led to the ousting of then President Kurmanbek... Роза Отунбаева |
3 July 2010 | 1 December 2011 | |||
| 4th | 6th Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2011 Early presidential elections were held in Kyrgyzstan on 30 October 2011 to replace Interim President Roza Otunbayeva. It was won in the first round by the former Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan.-Background:... |
Almazbek Atambayev Almazbek Atambayev Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev is the President of Kyrgyzstan since 1 December 2011. He previously was Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 17 December 2010 to 1 December 2011, having also been Prime Minister from 29 March 2007 until 28 November 2007... Алмазбек Атамбаев |
1 December 2011 | present | Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan is a political party in Kyrgyzstan. Members formed the party on 1 October 1993, but did not register with the Justice Ministry until 16 December 1994... |