Kyrgyzstan: electoral losers went on hunger strike
On April 14, in protest, outside the Central Election Commission in Bishkek, a mass hunger strike began among the candidates for deputies who didn’t take place at the City Council of Bishkek at the elections.
It’s noted that representatives of at least eight parties, that lost the elections on April 11, will take part in the action. Refusal of food and water will last for three days. The reasons for this decision were their disagreement with the results of the elections to the City Council of Bishkek.
“If the authorities don’t change their minds, the hunger strike will continue. Representatives of all 8 parties, supporting fair elections, will take part in the protest,” the deputies told journalists.
On April 11, Kyrgyzstan held a referendum on amendments to the Constitution and elections of deputies to local councils. In total, 24 political parties participated in the elections to the City Council of Bishkek, of which, according to preliminary results, only 6 passed the threshold of 7%:
- “Labor (Emgek)” – 13.87%;
- “White blessing (Ak Bata)” – 12.05%;
- People’s Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan – 10.43%;
- “Fatherland (Ata-Zhurt) Kyrgyzstan” – 10.09%;
- “Unity (Yntymak)” – 8.17%;
- “Unity of the people (Birdin El)” – 7.77%.
The outsiders are “Freedom of choice”, “Patriot party”, “Reform”, “Our people”, “Socialist party of Kyrgyzstan”, “United (Butun) Kyrgyzstan”, “Contemporary (Zamandash)”, “Power to the people” and others.
