The President of the Kyrgyz Republic is a nationally elected head of state, a symbol of the unity of the people and the state. The President is the highest official, guaranteeing the rights and freedoms provided to every citizen by the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The first President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Askar Akayev, was elected by the deputies of the Supreme Council of the republic on October 27, 1990.
Childhood of Askar Akayev. Askar Akayev was born in 1944 in the village of Kyzyl-Bayrak in the Kemin district. From childhood, he was known for his curiosity. He loved to read. In school, he received straight A's.
From the memories of A. Akayev's classmates:
“At that time, the Kyzyl-Bayrak school lacked classrooms and teachers. Therefore, Mukambetkalyy agai taught first and third-grade students in one room. In another room, second-grade students, including Askar, and fourth-grade students were taught by Azatbek agai. He divided the blackboard with chalk in half, writing examples for the second grade on one side and for the fourth on the other.
One day, while checking the assignments, Azatbek agai noticed that second-grader Askar was solving examples meant for the fourth grade. He asked:
— Askar, why aren’t you doing your assignment?
— I’ve already solved it, - the boy replied.
The agai began to check. To his surprise, he found that Askar had solved examples that no one in the fourth grade had yet solved. Such stories happened often during Askar's school years.”
Askar often accompanied his blind father in childhood, who, through his guidance, developed his son's natural talent and abilities. Easy-going, responsive, and attentive to the elders, he invariably received their favor and assistance. Askar grew up hardworking, but what amazed most was his persistence. Once he started something, he always tried to see it through to the end. He graduated from school with a gold medal.
A thirst for knowledge. Even in his youth, Askar Akayev set himself the goal of obtaining an education in Moscow or Leningrad. After school, he worked as a laborer at a capital machine-building plant, but he never parted with books. His dream came true: in 1962, he was admitted to the Leningrad Institute of Precision Mechanics and Optics. In the university, the future president was among the best. Due to his immense work ethic, he earned respect not only among his peers but also from his professors. Graduating with honors, he entered graduate school. At 27, he became a candidate of sciences, and at 34, a doctor of sciences. Professors and scientific colleagues urged him to stay and work in Leningrad, but he returned to his homeland: the young scholar was eager to benefit his people as soon as possible. From 1972 to 1986, he worked at the Polytechnic Institute, passing on to students what he had learned himself. Askar Akayev dedicated much time to scientific research, authoring a large number of scientific works. Thanks to his scientific achievements, he was elected a corresponding member at the age of 40 and later became an academician of the Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan.
From 1986 to 1991, he served as vice president and then president of the main scientific center of the republic — the Academy of Sciences, and was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
When attending sessions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, A. Akayev became more closely acquainted with the issues that concerned him as a deputy, a statesman, and simply a citizen: what was really happening in the country, how the state should develop, how to pull it out of the deepening socio-economic crisis, etc. He became close to democratic deputies, such as Andrei Sakharov, who had immense international authority as a fighter for justice and democracy. Communication with them, the facts they presented, and his personal life, scientific, and political experience became the soil that nurtured the future president. Askar Akayev increasingly embraced new democratic thinking and ideas for democratic transformations.
At various party forums and sessions of the Supreme Soviet, A. Akayev raised the issue of the difficult situation of shepherds and tobacco growers in Kyrgyzstan. He boldly expressed his opinion and openly supported the democratic changes occurring in the country.
Askar Akayev showed particular determination when discussing issues related to the "Osh events": he openly criticized leaders whose inept actions and indifference to people's problems allowed blood to be shed. He increasingly gained authority among Kyrgyz deputies and the entire parliament, receiving recognition from the global community.
The First President of Kyrgyzstan. In October 1990, the crisis of power intensified in the republic. At the request of representatives of democratic forces who declared a political hunger strike, a democratically inclined part of the deputies of the Supreme Soviet, Askar Akayev agreed to participate in the presidential elections. At the session of the Supreme Soviet of the Kyrgyz SSR on October 27, 1990, Askar Akayev was elected President of the Kyrgyz SSR on an alternative basis.
In the new political conditions that arose after Kyrgyzstan gained independence, A. Akayev decided to run for new presidential elections. He wanted to ensure that the people truly supported him and his policies. On October 12, 1991, the people confirmed their trust.
In accordance with the Constitution of the sovereign Kyrgyz Republic adopted in 1993, on December 24, 1995, he was re-elected as head of state on an alternative basis. And on October 29, 2000, in the presidential elections, A. Akayev achieved another significant victory, proving that the majority of Kyrgyz citizens associate his name and activities with the development of Kyrgyzstan as an independent state and the ideology and practice of democratic transformations.
The internal political stability achieved during A. Akayev's presidency created conditions for significant changes in the socio-economic, socio-political, and cultural development of society. A significant step forward was made towards a market economy: market relations penetrated and became established in almost all spheres of life.
In the socio-political life, democratic principles of state building are irrevocably and increasingly taking root. Democratic processes are deepening, and the role of public organizations has genuinely increased. The international authority of the republic has grown. Kyrgyzstan has managed to take its place among the countries of the world and become a member of many authoritative international organizations.