Felix Kulov, the former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, commented on the possible early presidential elections, focusing on the legal and political aspects of this issue. He argued why, in his opinion, there are currently no grounds for holding elections earlier than the established date.
According to him, the Constitution clearly states that regular presidential elections must be held on the third Sunday of October in the year when the term of the sitting president expires. Furthermore, the Jogorku Kenesh is obliged to appoint elections no later than four months before the voting day — this is a fundamental norm.
Speaking about the current president, Sadyr Japarov, Kulov reminded that his term lasts six years, starting from January 2021 and ending in January 2027. Thus, the elections should be scheduled for this timeframe.
As for early elections, the law states that they can only be appointed after the official termination of the president's powers. Kulov noted that this is only possible in the case of removal from office or other procedures provided for by the Constitution. In the event of legal disputes, only the Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic can make the final decision.
On a more practical level, Kulov pointed to Kyrgyzstan's current international obligations, including the chairmanship in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and preparations for a major summit. These events require significant organizational efforts and diplomatic work, meaning that adding an election campaign during this period would be challenging.
Additionally, the World Nomad Games are also scheduled for the same timeframe, which places additional demands on the state's resources. All of this emphasizes that it is better to adhere to the constitutional timelines for elections at this moment.
Kulov also expressed agreement that Sadyr Japarov already has public support and believes there is no reason to rush into elections. He is confident that the sitting president will not have worthy competitors and that Japarov will confidently win the elections in January 2027.
