European Forum

Opposition rally in Kyrgyzstan

On 24 July the central election commission announced that Kurmanbek Bakiev appears to be heading for reelection as Kyrgyz president, as he had won 87.7 percent of the 23 July vote. With ballots from more than half of polling stations counted, the election commission said that the main opposition challenger, Almazbek Atambaev, who has denounced the election as rigged, had just over 7 percent. The commission said that turnout was 79.3 percent. Other candidates were Temir Sariev, Umetalieva and Jenishbek Nazaraliev and Nurlan Motuev. Observers from the election monitoring arm of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are due to give their assessment of the vote later on July 24.On 24 July the central election commission announced that Kurmanbek Bakiev appears to be heading for reelection as Kyrgyz president, as he had won 87.7 percent of the 23 July vote. With ballots from more than half of polling stations counted, the election commission said that the main opposition challenger, Almazbek Atambaev, who has denounced the election as rigged, had just over 7 percent. The commission said that turnout was 79.3 percent. Other candidates were Temir Sariev, Umetalieva and Jenishbek Nazaraliev and Nurlan Motuev. Observers from the election monitoring arm of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are due to give their assessment of the vote later on July 24.