Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May 2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May 2002 when five demonstrators were killed in clashes with the police cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%; note - election marred by serious irregularities elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held November or December 2005); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Council or Zhogorku Kenesh consists of the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; percent of vote by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4, independents 73, other 10 note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly elections: March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005); Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president); Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration
Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson
S. SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Arkin ALIYEV]; Ata-Meken or
Fatherland [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Banner National Revival Party or ASABA
[Chaprashty BAZARBAY]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar
JEKSHEYEV]; Democratic Women's Party of Kyrgyzstan [T. A. SHAILIYEVA];
Dignity Party [Feliks KULOV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic
Party [Tursunbay Bakir UULU]; Justice Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV]; Movement
for the People's Salvation [Jumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual Help Movement
or Ashar [Jumagazy USUPOV]; My Country of Action [Almazbek ISMANKULOV];
National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV]; Party of
Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Absamat M. MASALIYEV]; Party of the
Veterans of the War in Afghanistan [leader NA]; Peasant Party [leader NA];
People's Party [Melis ESHIMKANOV]; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan
[J. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [J. IBRAMOV]; Union
of Democratic Forces (composed of Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
or PSD [J. IBRAMOV], Economic Revival Party, and Birimdik Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: Council of Free Trade Unions;
Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity
Democratic Movement; Union of Entrepreneurs
International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OIC,
OPCW (signatory), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139 consulate(s): New York telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John M. O'KEEFE embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, use embassy street address telephone: Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt