Bishkek, Oct. 2, 2025 /Kabar/. By presidential decree, early parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan have been scheduled for November 30. The vote will be held under a majoritarian system across 30 constituencies, with three deputies elected from each.
In line with recent constitutional amendments, no more than two mandates from a single constituency can be held by one gender. The reform is expected to increase the number of female deputies in the Jogorku Kenesh.
According to the National Statistical Committee, as of January 1, 2025, women accounted for 3,678,718 of the country’s population. In the previous, 7th convocation of parliament, only 20 women served as deputies—19 elected on party lists and just one from a single-mandate constituency.
Mahabat Kozhokeeva, Head of the Election Organization Department at the Central Election Commission, explained that under Article 64, the three candidates with the most votes in each constituency will be elected.
“When distributing mandates, no more than two can be awarded to one gender. For example, if three women win the most votes, only two will receive seats,” she said.
She also clarified that if a deputy resigns, their seat will be transferred to another candidate of the same gender. If no such candidate exists, it may be passed to a representative of the opposite gender. The election results will be valid only if at least 30 mandates are filled by representatives of one gender.
Former MP Ainuru Altybaeva, who served in the 5th and 6th convocations, welcomed the changes. She stressed that Kyrgyzstan, as a party to several international agreements, has committed to ensuring gender equality.
“Our Constitution guarantees equal rights and opportunities for men and women. Since women make up 52% of the population, quotas were introduced as a temporary measure to ensure broader representation,” she said.
Altybaeva also underlined the positive impact of women’s participation in lawmaking:
“If women make up less than 10% of parliament, only a few social issues are raised. At 20%, social issues are discussed. And when women reach 30%, many social problems begin to be addressed. That’s why the 30% threshold is such a strong decision. With social issues a national priority, greater female representation will help solve many problems,” she concluded.