Most seats in the parliament were won by parties that support closer links with Russia according to preliminary election data, but opposition parties denounced the results as fraudulent and began protests in the capital Bishkek. Western observers said the vote had been marred by vote buying.
Protesters stormed government buildings, Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov’s government quit and the election commission annulled the vote.
On Monday, Kyrgyz security forces used teargas and water cannon to disperse protesters. President Sooronbai Jeenbekov says that he ordered them not to open fire after one person was killed and nearly 700 people injured.
Three rival groups are now claiming leadership, including the Ata Zhurt party whose candidate for prime minister, Sadyr Zhaparov, was freed from jail by the protesters on Tuesday but then had to flee after an angry mob broke into the hotel where parliament had convened. He has called for constitutional reform before new elections are held in 2-3 months.
Kyrgyz politics is complicated by the involvement of powerful regional clans and the amorphous nature of political parties built around personalities rather than ideologies.