Felix Kulov, former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, commented on the legal and political aspects of possible early presidential elections. He explained in detail that, in his opinion, there are currently no legal or practical grounds for holding them.
According to him, the constitutional law on elections states that presidential elections should take place on the third Sunday of October in the year when the term of the current president expires. The Jogorku Kenesh must appoint the elections no later than four months before the voting, which is the main norm.
As for the current president, Sadyr Japarov, his term ends in January 2027, as he took office in January 2021. Based on this, the electoral cycle should be tied to this date.
Regarding early elections, the same law states that they can only be appointed after the president's powers have been terminated. Kulov emphasizes that this refers specifically to the date of the end of powers. Early elections can be held within three months after this date. Therefore, it is impossible to announce elections before the president's term is completed. Grounds for terminating the president's powers exist in the Constitution, and in case of disputes, only the Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic can provide a final legal assessment.
From a practical standpoint, Kyrgyzstan currently has important international obligations. The country is chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and is preparing for a significant summit, which requires extensive organizational and diplomatic work. This is not just a formality — it is necessary to conduct consultations in advance, coordinate positions, and ensure security.
Moreover, the World Nomad Games will also take place during the same period, which is a large-scale event requiring significant resources for infrastructure preparation, logistics, and hosting guests. All of this demands concentration of state resources.
Thus, Kulov concludes that in such a situation, adding a nationwide electoral campaign is extremely difficult. He believes it is more reasonable and correct to hold elections within the established constitutional deadlines.
Kulov also noted that he agrees with Sadyr Japarov's opinion that he already has public support. In his view, there is no reason to rush into elections, and he is confident that Japarov will not have worthy opponents. He believes that in the elections in January 2027, Japarov will be able to confidently achieve victory," Kulov added.
