Early Parliamentary Election Scheduled for November 30 in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has voted to dissolve itself and hold early elections this November, a decision seen by analysts as a move to strengthen President Sadyr Japarov’s hold on power. The new vote is scheduled for November 30, instead of the originally planned date in late 2026. Presidential elections remain set for January 2027.
Lawmakers justified the early parliamentary election by saying that conducting both presidential and parliamentary votes close together would be too costly and difficult to organise for Kyrgyzstan, a country with a modest economy heavily dependent on money sent home by workers in Russia. The current parliament is largely controlled by parties loyal to Japarov, a nationalist and populist leader who rose to power in 2020 amid protests over a disputed election.
Kyrgyzstan has a history of street protests toppling presidents, most notably in 2006 and 2010. It was once considered the most democratic among Central Asia’s former Soviet republics, with relatively free media. Since Japarov took office, however, he has worked to centralise authority, bringing the political system more in line with the authoritarian tendencies of neighbouring countries.
Under his administration, independent news outlets have been shut down, journalists imprisoned, and strict internet controls enforced. Despite these measures, strong economic growth has helped maintain his popularity.
According to Temur Umarov, a Central Asia specialist, the snap elections are part of Japarov’s strategy to strengthen his regime ahead of his 2027 re-election campaign.
Kyrgyzstan, a predominantly Muslim country, has shown some diplomatic support for Russia, which maintains military bases there, since the conflict in Ukraine began. This stance has led to criticism from Western nations, including the U.S. and the UK, both of which have imposed sanctions on Kyrgyz banks accused of helping Russia evade international sanctions.