At a meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh today, President Sadyr Japarov highlighted significant problems during the parliamentary elections. He emphasized the low voter turnout, despite measures taken to ensure the openness and transparency of the voting process, including electronic systems and the possibility of remote participation. Although there are 200,000 more registered voters in the current elections compared to the previous ones, voter activity still remained below the expected level—less than 70%.
“Unfortunately, this does not meet our expectations. In this regard, it is worth considering the introduction of mandatory participation in elections or the development of other mechanisms, possibly through the creation of a relevant bill, to activate citizen participation. We see that the elections are mainly participated in by those who are willing to sell their votes, while others remain on the sidelines due to indifference or a low electoral culture,” the president noted.
Sadyr Japarov also emphasized that in some countries, participation in elections is mandatory by law. For example, in Turkey, after increasing voter turnout, such norms have become less relevant over time. In Singapore, however, the law on mandatory participation in elections continues to be in effect, and citizens who do not vote lose the right to participate in the next elections. “We need to study successful international experiences and adapt them to the peculiarities of our society,” he added.
Today, December 17, a ceremony for the oath-taking of the deputies of the VIII convocation of the Jogorku Kenesh was held in the parliament building.
