Who has left the parliament?
Until February 10, the situation remained stable. However, following the resignation of Kamchybek Tashiev from the position of head of the GKNB, a wave of refusals of mandates began. By March 20, the situation has developed as follows.Shairbek Tashiev also announced his resignation through his social media.
He emphasized that this step was difficult but necessary for the interests of the state and public trust.
According to Tashiev, his decision was made in the interest of political stability and the peace of citizens. He added that recent defamatory attacks on the internet against him and his family disrupted their peace. Tashiev assured that he would continue to serve the people, regardless of his political role.
The situation in district No. 13
Three deputies from district No. 13 were among the last to leave their posts, and this is related to an incident that occurred in their district.On December 3, 2025, the Central Election Commission identified violations in this electoral district. During the inspection, it was revealed that observers representing candidates illegally installed cameras at 35 polling stations on election day. As a result, the CEC canceled the registration of all 14 candidates participating in the elections. Repeat elections were scheduled for March 1, with 23 candidates registered.
However, on February 13, 2026, the Central Commission reviewed the decision and recognized the elections as valid, with deputies being Aibek Altynbekov, Talant Mamytov, and Aigul Karabekova.
The situation in district No. 21
This situation is also unclear.Kuvanychbek Kongantiev resigned his mandate and was detained on suspicion of corruption. Following the elections, Chingiz Aydarbekov is supposed to take his place.
As reported by Kaktus.media from the CEC, this issue is still under consideration.
“There are circumstances that require clarification through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the Central Election Commission added, without going into details.
And what about the rights of voters?
Although the situation formally complies with the law, what should be done about the 120,891 voters who, according to the CEC, voted for these deputies? Does this not undermine the very essence of the elections in the Jogorku Kenesh? Can it be considered adherence to democratic principles that those sitting in parliament are not the ones who were elected, but those who put themselves forward as candidates?***
According to political scientist Almaz Tajibay, it is normal for the authorities to seek to cleanse their political field in the face of threats.“This threat must be eliminated. This was mentioned by the philosopher Machiavelli. The instinct of self-preservation kicks in. Some build their careers at the expense of stronger politicians. This is confirmed by the mass resignations. We are heading towards autocracy, which inevitably leads to the emergence of loyal but unqualified individuals,” Tajibay noted.
He also added that similar mass resignations of deputies occurred in the VII convocation when lawmakers sought to avoid criminal prosecution, although not everyone succeeded.
Tajibay emphasizes the need to revise the approach to elections, as in countries with real democracy, politicians who come to power through patronage are quickly identified and leave.
“Ideally, as it was in Georgia 20 years ago: politicians should leave business, transferring it to trust management to avoid questions,” he suggested.
According to him, in Kyrgyzstan, voters often vote not for programs but based on other factors, such as regional ties and promises.
“This is wrong,” Tajibay concluded.
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As human rights and election expert Atyr Abdrakhmatova believes, to understand whether voters' rights are being violated, it is necessary to determine how the "departed" received their votes.“Did this happen thanks to money? Bribery? Pressure? Genuine support? Despite the volatility of public opinion, everyone involved in politics must understand that only a true leader with real support can count on the protection of their voters,” Abdrakhmatova noted.
She believes that during the period between the appointment of early elections in 2025 and the issuance of mandates by the CEC, administrative resources were used.
“The monopoly of administrative resources in elections has led to the violation of the rights of many voters. The question to law enforcement and the CEC is: where is their work to ensure independent elections? Perhaps the departed deputies would not have passed,” she expressed her opinion.
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Lawyer Nurbek Toktakunov believes that the parliament is mostly composed of "Tashiev's supporters," as 30 electoral districts were formed this way.“It is unlikely that half of the parliament will resign their mandates. They will simply adapt and go with the flow. The president should have warned the National Institute of Strategic Initiatives about this, which was reformed for six months by Justice Minister Ayaz Bayetov, but apparently without success,” he noted.
Toktakunov added that voters must realize that by voting for populists, they are not supporting those who truly represent their interests.
“The result of this is one-time bribes for voters. When leaving, one figure takes others with them. The situation will change only with the growth of the electorate, which will consciously vote for worthy candidates,” he concluded.
