The Diplomat: Kyrgyz Election Brings High Expectations, Mixed Results

Kyrgyz citizens voted in the first competitive elections for a peaceful transfer of power in Central Asia since 1991 and the end of the Soviet Union. Sooronbai Jeenbekov, with the incumbent Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan and who had served as prime minister, won the presidency with more than 50 percent of the vote. “Kyrgyz voters are well aware of the gravity of the event—their recent competitive parliamentary elections set their country apart from neighbors with long-serving rulers and notoriously unresponsive systems of governance,” writes Abhi Goyal for the Diplomat. “But though voters here are proud of their progress as a democracy, difficulties with this presidential race have reminded them that administrative obstacles still stand in the way of accountable government.” Some voters express concerns about interference from neighboring Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan has a biometric verification system. – YaleGlobal