Bishkek, Dec. 17, 2025. /Kabar/. Vote turnout was really low in the parliamentary elections. President Sadyr Japarov stated at Jogorku Kenesh.
"Despite the fact that we ensured open and transparent elections, electronic voting, and the possibility of remote participation, the number of citizens who came to the polls was low. Compared to previous elections, 200,000 more people came to these elections. However, after creating all the necessary conditions, we expected voter turnout to increase and reach 70%.
Unfortunately, this did not happen. This raises the question: should mandatory participation measures be introduced or should other mechanisms be sought, perhaps by drafting a corresponding bill, to ensure active citizen participation in the elections. "Because, as practice shows, only those who sell their votes necessarily participate in elections, while the rest of the population do not take part, due to indifference or a lack of voting culture," Sadyr Zhaparov noted.
Head of state emphasized that in number of countries, voting is legally mandated. After turnout increased, such regulations eventually lost their relevance, as was the case in Turkey, for example. Similar law is still in effect in Singapore. There, every citizen is required to participate in elections. If citizen fails to participate, they lose the right to participate in the next election. "We must always rely on successful international experience and adapt it to the mentality of our people," the president said.
As a reminder, today, December 17, the oath-taking ceremony for deputies of the 8th convocation of the Jogorku Kenesh took place in the parliament building.