Akayev Administration Claims Victory in Kyrgyzstan Constitutional Referendum

As widely expected, President Askar Akayev's administration has declared victory in Kyrgyzstan following a nationwide referendum. Preliminary results released February 3 show that over three-quarters of voters supported the adoption of a new constitution and endorsed Akayev's administration. Akayev critics, meanwhile, are accusing the administration of manipulating the results.

Kyrgyzstan's Central Election Commission reported that turnout for the February 2 referendum topped 86 percent, far more than the 50 percent barrier required to ensure the validity of the results. Of those casting ballots, 75 percent supported the new constitution and 79 percent approved the idea of Akayev serving out his term, which is due to expire in 2005. Among the major changes that will occur under the new basic law is the reorganization of the legislative branch into a unicameral chamber of deputies, instead of the existing bicameral parliament.

Political analysts say Akayev is counting on the referendum triumph to break the existing political deadlock, and put his political opponents on the defensive. Akayev in 2002 had faced mounting pressure from opposition forces, including calls for his resignation. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archives]. The touchstone of domestic political conflict has been the administration's handling of an investigation into responsibility for a riot last March that left six protesters dead. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archives].

After casting his ballot in Bishkek, Akayev said the adoption of the new constitution would enhance Kyrgyzstan's democratization process. "The new edition of the constitution will create an excellent opportunity for our political system to develop in a stable manner, and for improving accord and cooperation between the branches of power."

The president pointedly suggested the results on the second ballot question, which asks if Akayev should serve out his term, should put to rest calls for his resignation. "The opposition keeps saying that authorities are disregarding its opinions," Akayev said. "As you see, the referendum takes the opposition leaders' wishes into account."

Opposition leaders have denounced the results, accusing officials of engaging in illegal practices. The Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), headed by prominent Akayev critic Ramazan Dyryldayev, says it has documented numerous irregularities. In many communities, according to the KCHR, election officials, seeking to boost turnout totals, engaged in an old Soviet practice of carrying ballot boxes from door to door. Under Kyrgyz law, a citizen is prohibited from casting a ballot from home, without obtaining written permission in advance stating a medical reason for the inability to go to the nearest polling station.

The KCHR also complained that authorities hampered opposition-oriented activists from observing the counting of ballots. "Authorities do not want to see independent observers or persons from independent NGOs in the local election commissions," said a KCHR statement issued February 1.

In addition, the KCHR alleged that pro-administration activists distributed leaflets urging a "yes" vote, and engaged in vote-buying on referendum day – this despite a February 1 announcement by the Central Election Commission that electioneering during the plebiscite was illegal. Earlier, authorities had threatened opposition activists with prison terms if they engaged in activity that was deemed to undermine turnout in the referendum.

The referendum took place after less than a month of public debate over the draft basic law. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archives]. On January 31, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry rejected international criticism about the conduct of the constitutional referendum campaign, saying calls for a postponement were inappropriate.