#122: Kindergarten Politics

There is a lot of shady movement behind curtains or under the carpet in Kyrgyz politics. President's initiation of Ak-Jol (Bright Path) People's Party created more mess and confusion on Kyrgyzstan's political arena then expected. Political parties are being formed, re-formed, merged, and split. It is definitely not going the same path of Askar Akaev's Alga Kyrgyzstan Party, which dominated politics in early 2005.

Initially, it seemed that a political party, created by the President, would swallow all the pro-presidential political parties under its umbrella. It was expected that the opposition would have the toughest task of uniting. However, the situation seems as uncertain as before. The merger of political parties in the pro-presidential camp created as much disorder as among opposition parties.

Because Ak-Jol seems to be dominated by Medet Sadyrkulov, President's Chief of Staff, some rival groups within president's camp are not interested in merging it. Surprisingly, Jangy Kyrgyzstan party of Usen Sydykov, President's former Chief of Staff, and Erkindik Party of Topchubek Turgunaliev, who built his career as a human rights activist, are not with Ak-Jol. Another pro-presidential party, Ata-Jurt, (Keldibekov and Co.) seems to be falling apart, some of its members wanting to join the party, others not. Keldibekov and Sadyrkulov have been publicly accusing each other of corruption and embezzlement.

First rumors of merger among opposition parties surfaced right after Ak-Jol's creation. Even Muratbek Imanaliev from Justice and Progress Party and the head of the Institute for Public Policy, somewhat a maverick politician, expressed willingness to join with Omurbek Tekebaev's Atameken Party. Asaba Party might fall apart (even temporarily) with two of its leaders, Azimbek Beknazarov and Roza Otunbaeva, taking two different roads. So far, two opposition camps are taking shape. Irreconcilable opposition might form around Atameken Party, while another group of opposition willing to talk to the government is around current Prime Minister Almaz Atambaev's Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK)

Kyrgyz politicians' incredible political ambitions and "self-esteem" does not help to relieve the tension. Each of them want to be closer to the top on the party lists. Especially considering that the new Elections Code will require a threshold of 5% of all registered voters, not of the actual number of people who voted on the election day, to get seats in the Parliament. If the turnout is 50%, then this will require parties to get 10% of voters on the day to make it to the Parliament.