Fathers and sons, brothers and sisters, mothers and daughters, not to mention the broader levels of kinship and friendship, make Žogorku Keneš – the local parliament that will be renewed in the November 17 vote – one big family. With almost forty more or less pro-government parties.
Bishkek () – Kyrgyzstan is also preparing for parliamentary elections to renew the composition of Žogorku Keneš, on November 17. The lists include many well-known surnames, but not so much of the outgoing deputies as of their children and relatives of various degrees, renewing the “family” tradition of Central Asian politics. The parties are however very numerous, up to 39, of which the most active is Yntymak, a social-conservative and pro-government party that occupies a minority seat in Parliament, and has presented candidates in 32 cities.
In Bishkek, Nargiza Žoldošbaeva, already an MP and daughter of former MP Kamčybek, and her younger brother Taalajbek Sariev are running for Yntymak. Nargiza had lost her seat in April, when she was detained for not paying taxes, and it is unknown when she was released and under what conditions she was allowed to run again. The party also presents Žibek Šarapova, daughter of Zakira, already an MP along with Kamčybek Žoldošbaev, who in 2020 ran for another party, Ata Meken. Also appearing alongside her is Marat Askerov, son of current deputy Gulkan Moldobekova and former trade union leader Mirbek Asanakunov.
Another well-known surname is that of deputy Marlen Mamataliev, son of Government member Abdyrakhman, who assures that “our Yntymak party wants to be a novelty on the national political scene”, while continuing to support President Sadyr Žaparov and his policies, but also ” showing their limits when necessary.
Another green-leaning party that is presenting itself for the first time is Žany Kuč, the “New Force” that Kyrgyzstan needs according to its founders, who took this initiative last spring to compose a team of “young and dynamic candidates.” At the head of the group is Kubanyčbek Kongantiev, son of former Attorney General Kambaraly, who already chaired Žogorku Keneš for other factions in the last legislature. The “new forces” also include Ajgul Tokombaeva, daughter of former MP Damira Nijazalieva and already elected under another banner in the last elections, and Nurilja Čolponbaeva, daughter of former parliamentary speaker Mukar, who was not elected last time.
Ajdar, son of Bishkek mayor Aziz Surakmatov, is also on the list of “new forces”; His father became mayor after his parliamentary experience, and his son aspires to repeat the same career. Also surprising is the presence of Žanybek Abirov, who had resigned his parliamentary mandate after a clamorous fight in court. Another “son of art” is Alymbek Baktybekov, 33, a two-time MP, whose father Bakyt Sydykov is the leader of another party, Ata-Žurt Kyrgyzstan, and whose grandfather Usen was head of the presidential administration in the early 1990s. 2000 and founder of the “New Kyrgyzstan” party. The current head of the party is Asylbek Maktemirov, brother of Ata-Žurt deputy Ajbek, who is running for the Džalal-Abad seat.
The list would still be long, limited only to fathers and sons, brothers and sisters, mothers and daughters, not to mention the broader levels of kinship and friendship that make Žogorku Keneš one big family. President Žaparov urged all citizens of Kyrgyzstan to actively participate in the elections, both to the national Parliament and to the local government, assuring them that “the authorities have no intention of interfering in any way in the electoral campaign”, since “the times in which the powers supported the candidates who were favorable to them have passed. The chairman of the Security Committee of the Gknb, Kamčybek Tašiev, also declared that “the government party is not running for elections”, although in reality the almost forty parties are all more or less pro-government, and are also closely related to all structures power of Kyrgyzstan.
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