Voting in elections of deputies of city, rural councils and a referendum on adoption of a draft of a new Constitution started in Kyrgyzstan.
Deputies of 28 city councils are elected today. Almost 12,000 people run for 796 seats. This means that the competition is 15 people per seat. A total of 56 parties participate in the race. Most of them are trying to take seats in the Bishkek City Council.
At least 1,815 candidates from 25 parties participate in the elections in the capital, in Osh — 701 people from nine parties.
Besides, voting is in progress in 420 rural councils. At least 18,772 people run for 7,560 seats, some 63 candidates of them are nominated by political parties, the rest are self-nominated. The competition is almost three people per seat.
The number of voters in the final list in the elections of deputies of local councils is 3,318,000 people, 1,587,000 of them are men, 1,730,000 are women, or 47.85 percent and 52.15 percent, respectively.
Kyrgyzstanis will also have to decide the fate of the new draft Constitution today.
The draft Constitution submitted to the referendum almost completely changes the text of the current Basic Law. At least 81 amendments are being made to it. The developers propose a document aimed at establishing a rigid vertical of power. The main amendments concern the institution of the president, the Government, the Parliament and the judicial branch of government. Kyrgyzstan is to adopt or reject the amendments to the Basic Law for the tenth time today.
There is no voter turnout threshold in local elections. However, in order the plebiscite to be recognized as valid, a 30 percent turnout must be reached. As of April 1, the number of referendum participants in the final list is 3,606,000 people, about 1,725,000 of them are men, 1,880,000 are women, or 47.86 percent and 52.14 percent, respectively.
