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Kyrgyz court revokes poll ruling | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court has revoked a ruling which, if applied, would have given President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's party every seat in parliament. | |
Under a recent rule introduced by Mr Bakiyev, a party could only gain a seat if it achieved at least 0.5% of the vote in every region of the country. | |
In Sunday's parliamentary election, Mr Bakiyev's Ak Zhol party was the only one to fulfill the criteria. | |
The court's decision means the Ata Meken party may also gain some seats. | |
But Ak Zhol will retain the vast majority of the 90 seats available in the one-chamber parliament. | |
Traditionally, Kyrgyzstan has been regarded as having one of the most open political systems among Central Asia's former Soviet republics. | |
But Sunday's poll was criticised by international observers, who cited problems including a lack of transparency in vote-counting and deregistration of leading candidates. | |
Immediate effect | |
Mr Bakiyev introduced a new constitution in October, installing a proportional representation system for electing MPs. | Mr Bakiyev introduced a new constitution in October, installing a proportional representation system for electing MPs. |
In order to gain seats in parliament under this system, a party had to win 0.5% of the vote in each of Kyrgyzstan's seven regions and its two main cities - as well as polling more than 5% of the vote nationally. | In order to gain seats in parliament under this system, a party had to win 0.5% of the vote in each of Kyrgyzstan's seven regions and its two main cities - as well as polling more than 5% of the vote nationally. |
Other than Ak Zhol, the Ata Meken party was the only one to win more than 5% of the vote nationally, but it failed to gain 0.5% in all of the regions - thereby disqualifying it from parliament. | Other than Ak Zhol, the Ata Meken party was the only one to win more than 5% of the vote nationally, but it failed to gain 0.5% in all of the regions - thereby disqualifying it from parliament. |
Ak Zhol lodged an appeal against the rule about regional votes before the election - in a move analysts suggest was aimed at preventing post-election disputes. | Ak Zhol lodged an appeal against the rule about regional votes before the election - in a move analysts suggest was aimed at preventing post-election disputes. |
"The Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan has satisfied the appeal by the Ak Zhol party on cancelling the regional threshold of 0.5% for parties to enter parliament," said Judge Kurmanbek Osmonov. | "The Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan has satisfied the appeal by the Ak Zhol party on cancelling the regional threshold of 0.5% for parties to enter parliament," said Judge Kurmanbek Osmonov. |
"The court's decision comes into force immediately, is final and is not subject to appeal," AFP news agency quoted the judge as saying. | "The court's decision comes into force immediately, is final and is not subject to appeal," AFP news agency quoted the judge as saying. |