As a result, it was decided to hold a new competition, and the deadline for its completion was moved to autumn. Ultimately, five texts were selected, as well as musical options following an additional competition.
The Ministry of Culture reported that the commission's work was completed in September of last year, and all materials were submitted to parliament. The press service of the Jogorku Kenesh confirmed receipt of the documents; however, members of the relevant committee have not yet reviewed the drafts of the new anthem.
We decided to investigate the reasons why the attempt to change one of the main state symbols of the country has not yet been realized. What were the authorities' intentions, and what ideological message lies behind this initiative? Details in the article 24.kg.
When the deadlines expired, but there was no anthem
In 2024, Speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu stated that the country needed a new anthem.He noted: “We adopted the current anthem at a time when we had just emerged from the Soviet Union. Now we have become an independent state, and the anthem should reflect this.” According to him, the new anthem should be something that all citizens can sing.
The idea was supported by President Sadyr Japarov, who, in an interview with the Kabar agency, noted that the anthem has become outdated and no longer reflects the identity of the country 30 years after independence.
“What is wrong with updating the anthem? It was written 33 years ago when we were just gaining independence. At that time, the anthem became a symbol of our freedom. But now, when we have become a full-fledged state, we need something new,” he said.
Sadyr Japarov
From that moment, the process of changing the anthem became not just a cultural initiative but a comprehensive project launched at the official level.
Initially, the authorities planned to approve the new anthem by April 2025, but the deadlines were postponed.
The competition for a new anthem text started in January of last year. The commission received hundreds of applications — a total of 703 applications were submitted, but only 285 of them were registered. As a result, none of the texts were suitable, and the process had to be restarted with new deadlines.
Read more on the topic
“Purring, not a song.” Edil Baisalov on the anthem of Kyrgyzstan
The competition was divided into two stages: the first for the anthem texts, the second for selecting the musical accompaniment. Separate deadlines were set: by July 7 for texts and by September 8 for melodies. The commission was to select the five best works to create the final version of the anthem.
The winners were promised generous rewards, with funding expected from the presidential fund.
However, the anthem projects with musical compositions that received high scores were sent to the Jogorku Kenesh, but on September 30, 2025, the VII convocation was dissolved. At the last meeting, Speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu expressed readiness to convene an extraordinary session to approve the anthem, but this meeting never took place, and the new anthem remained in limbo.
Goals and motives
Overall, it can be argued that the initiative to change the anthem is not just a cultural step but a political-symbolic act. This is confirmed by both the statements of the parliamentary speaker and the position of the president. The main idea is that the current anthem was adopted at the moment of gaining independence, and now the state has changed.The anthem serves as a marker of the break with the post-Soviet past and an attempt to fix the new identity of Kyrgyzstan, which has formed over more than three decades.
Thus, changes to state symbols — the anthem, flag, coat of arms — are part of a strategy for the symbolic renewal of the state, in the context of rhetoric about sovereignty and traditional values.
Changing the anthem can bring three potential political benefits. First, it solidifies the era of Sadyr Japarov in the symbolic field; second, it distances current leaders from the elites of the 90s; third, it creates a narrative of unity and renewal.
Therefore, this is not just about music and text, but about creating a new state ideology, where the main principles are stability, unity, and continuity of power.
What went wrong
Formally, the competition for a new anthem did take place; however, after the failure of the first stage, the process was reformatted, and the best options are now awaiting parliamentary review. Nevertheless, the prolonged process and lack of clear deadlines indicate a problem with this initiative.Read more on the topic
We will hold an open competition for the anthem text — Nurlanbek Shakiev
The attempt to update the state symbol was presented as a significant ideological project; however, it did not receive clear public and institutional framing. The Jogorku Kenesh is not yet ready to even outline approximate deadlines for discussion, and the new anthem remains an unfinished administrative procedure that does not reflect national unity.
Thus, the question arises: “Why was the anthem not changed the first time?” This leads us to another question: “How ready is society to accept an updated symbol if the path to it has been more technocratic than popular?”
