History of referendums on the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan (photo)

The Basic Law has been put to the popular vote seven times over the history of sovereign Kyrgyzstan. The next amendments to the Constitution were adopted yesterday.

The first Constitution was adopted by the legendary Kyrgyz parliament on May 5, 1993, and already the next year there was held the first referendum on its amendment.

On October 22, 1994 citizens voted on two amendments to the Constitution:

1) Changes and additions to the Constitution, laws and other important issues of state life may be put to a referendum (nationwide vote).

2) The parliament of two chambers executes legislative power in Kyrgyzstan.

On February 10, 1996, Kyrgyzstan again held a referendum. The main amendments related to the division of powers of the bicameral Parliament and clarification of the relations between the president, parliament and government. 

Two years later, the Basic Law of the country had been changed once again. The amendments were approved at a referendum on October 17, 1998 . Then the number of deputies was changed: people's congress increased by 10 people, and the Legislative Assembly, on the contrary, was reduced by the same number of deputies. At least 15 of them were to be elected from party lists. The essential point: immunity of the deputies has been lifted.

After 5 years, Askar Akayev  wanted some changes again. Double referendum was held on February 2, 2003. Voters were asked whether they approve the amendments to the Constitution and whether they allow the president to keep the post until 2005. Both items had been approved.

Amendments concerned the increase of presidential powers, reducing the powers of the parliament, turning it into one-chamber and reducing the number of deputies to 75.

In October 2007, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced the next referendum on a new edition of the Constitution. According to it, the parliament consisted of 90 deputies elected by party lists.

In 2010, after the next revolution and the flight of Kurmanbek Bakiyev  the necessity to redraw the constitution appeared again. It was adopted at a referendum on June 27, 2010. The Basic Law of the country dated 2010 restricted the powers of the president and increased capabilities of the Parliament. The country has moved from a presidential form of government to a presidential-parliamentary. Then  a moratorium on changes to the Constitution till 2020 was introduced.

However, the new authorities failed to sustain due time. And six years later, the Constitution is changed again. Amendments to the Basic Law provide for strengthening the powers of the Prime Minister and Parliament. A referendum was initiated by leaders of five parliamentary factions. Subsequently, they were supported by the President Almazbek Atambayev.