Kyrgyz lawmakers name new prime minister, cabinet

Kyrgyz lawmakers name new prime minister, cabinet
Mukhammedkaliy Abylgaziyev.
By bne IntelliNews April 23, 2018

Kyrgyz lawmakers on April 20 named Mukhammedkaliy Abylgaziyev as their country's new prime minister following his nomination by the Social Democratic Party (SDPK), which controls the majority coalition within Kyrgyzstan’s parliament.

The appointment follows the sacking of now ex-Prime Minister Sapar Isakov’s cabinet, which lost a no-confidence vote last week. Abylgaziyev previously held the post of chief of staff in Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov's office. Jeenbekov fired the government of Isakov on April 19 - Isakov is seen as close to Almazbek Atambayev, president of Kyrgyzstan from late 2011 until Jeenbekov succeeded him in November last year.

Abylgaziyev’s cabinet in Central Asia’s most politically volatile country is a mix of newcomers and ministers from the dismissed government.

Isakov’s sacking appeared to finalise a purge of a series of officials seen as close to Atambayev. The developments challenge the view long expressed by many critics that Jeenbekov would amount to no more than Atambayev’s stooge, with the ex-president intending to continue ruling from the shadows. While Atambayev might indeed have foreseen things turning out that way, Jeenbekov may have rebelled against any idea that he would be some kind of puppet president.

The firing of the Atambayev loyalists followed public criticism of Jeenbekov made by Atambayev on March 31, when he was re-elected as head of the Social Democratic Party (SDPK), of which Jeenbekov is also a member. Atambayev said he would have to "engage in politics again” in order to assist Jeenbekov and prepare the party for the 2020 parliamentary elections. While Atambayev, who calls Jeenbekov an “old friend”, said during the March 31 event that it was necessary to say “harsh words” about the new president in order to help him rule, the latter possibly took the criticisms personally.

Earlier, the president dismissed Prosecutor-General Indira Joldubayeva and two high profile security officials.

Joldubayeva, appointed in January 2015, was widely criticised by activists for what they claim was the persecution of opposition politicians and independent media.

Atambayev’s December 2015 constitutional referendum, which weakened presidential powers and strengthened the role of the prime minister, were put in place to maintain SDPK’s control over the country, some Kyrgyzstan watchers say. SDPK holds a parliamentary majority and has the power to fire and appoint prime ministers. The lawmakers, including those of the SDPK, appear to have largely aligned with Jeenbekov in his moves to sack Atambayev loyalists, placing Atambayev’s level of influence further in doubt.

Landlocked and mountainous Kyrgyzstan, a country of 5.7mn, experienced revolutions in 2005 and 2010, which toppled the regimes of Askar Akayev and Kurmanbek Bakiyev, respectively. Atambayev is often seen as having played a pivotal role in both revolutions. He has presented himself as a champion of democracy, but his popularity has waned over the years against the backdrop of the 2015 referendum and his commitment to keeping the SDPK in power.

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