On May 5, 1993, at a session of the Supreme Council, later dubbed the "legendary" parliament, the first Constitution of independent Kyrgyzstan was adopted. The document enshrined the status of an independent state, defined the rights and responsibilities of citizens, established social guarantees, codified the status of public administration institutions and delineated their powers, and approved mechanisms for interaction between the branches of government.
33 years have passed since then. During this short period, by historical standards, the country's basic law has undergone significant transformations. Some former leaders appropriated it for themselves to gain greater powers without bearing any responsibility; others made such a mess that no one understood the boundaries of responsibility between the legislative and executive branches. They hogged the reins, provoking crises in the country. Therefore, from the mid-1990s until the 2020s, Kyrgyzstan repeatedly faced social and political upheaval.
Forms of government and the methods of forming the Jogorku Kenesh changed, and after revolutions, presidents fled the country or abdicated. The instability seemed endless, primarily hindering economic development and negatively impacting the population's standard of living. As a result, the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan was rewritten 11 times. But the 2020 reforms laid the foundations that allowed the country to find balance. A fulcrum emerged that halted chaotic political processes: the state became more manageable, the vertical power structure more effective, and this paved the way for a major economic transformation.
The results of these transformations are clear: turbulence is behind us, and Kyrgyzstan is firmly on a trajectory of sustainable development.
Political scientist Emil Juraev, in comments to the Kabar News Agency, shared his opinion on how our Constitution has changed along with the country since 1993.
"Constitution Day is the most important holiday and a politically symbolic day for the independent Kyrgyz Republic. Every year, we celebrate May 5 as the day of the adoption of our first Constitution—an event on par with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Our country's Constitution itself subsequently became a field of political struggle, an indicator of the complex and dynamic process of political development and the constant active search for the most appropriate model of constitutional and political structure. Having amended the Constitution and its parts as many as 11 times since 1993, we reached a deplorable state in this regard, where the country's supreme law became not the foundation of the state, but merely a changeable instrument of power.
In 2021, we adopted the Constitution in its current version, which is completely and significantly different from the previous version of 2010. Specifically, it departed from a model of government where power was substantially distributed between the institutions of the presidency and a party-oriented parliament, to a model in which authority became concentrated in the presidency. At that time, given the important political events and context, the majority of society demanded precisely this model of government. Five years after the current Constitution came into effect, I believe we, as a state and a political society, have a sufficient amount of information and practical observations on its strengths and weaknesses. Among the strengths, of course, are, first and foremost, the flexibility, dynamism, and effectiveness of governance. In contrast to the slowness, vagueness, and lack of managerial discipline of previous years, we see the opposite and urgently needed quality of governance in these parameters.
Considering potential reforms that would be desirable, I would note three things. First, it is important to strengthen parliament as the highest and collective body of popular representation. It has lost its role.
Second, it is important to strengthen the autonomy of local self-government—excessive centralization and vertical power have proven undesirable for the effective management of local processes.
Third, in general, a presidential form of government requires transparency in decision-making and management processes, as it has fewer other mechanisms to protect against hasty, contradictory, or incorrect decisions. With greater transparency, this model of governance could become more sustainable and effective than it has proven to be so far.
Kyrgyzstan's constitutional development continues, and further changes and reforms are quite possible, but Constitution Day remains one of the most important symbolic holidays of the country's statehood – we celebrate not just one specific version of the Constitution, but the country's sovereignty and constitutional legitimacy," Emil Juraev said.
The expert community emphasizes that, in a historical context, May 5 is a date no less significant than the day the legendary parliament approved the Declaration of State Sovereignty. Our first Constitution is as much an attribute of independence as the flag, coat of arms, and anthem.
As international practice shows, a fundamental law is a living organism, and it can be amended if necessary for the development of the state. Today, there is no point in arguing about how many times the Constitution was rewritten and why. The most important thing is that Kyrgyzstan has found its path to development, and May 5, 1993, marked the first and most important step.