# Supreme Council (Kyrgyzstan)

The Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan, also known as the Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyz: Жогорку Кеңеш, IPA:), is the unicameral parliament of Kyrgyzstan. Before Kyrgyzstan's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, it was known as the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic.
The parliament has 90 seats, with members elected for a five-year term by two methods: party-list proportional voting (54 seats) and first-past-the-post voting (36 seats).

## History

During Soviet rule, it was known as the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSR.
From August 1991, when Kyrgyzstan gained independence from the Soviet Union, until October 2007, when the Constitution was changed in a referendum, the Supreme Council consisted of the Legislative Assembly (Мыйзам Чыгаруу Жыйыны, Myizam Chygaruu Jyiyny; lit. 'Upper House') and the Assembly of People's Representatives (Эл Өкүлдөр Жыйыны, El Öküldör Jyiyny; lit. 'Lower House') with 60 and 45 members, respectively. The members of both houses were elected to five-year terms. In the Assembly of People's Representatives all 45 members were elected in single-seat constituencies; in the Legislative Assembly 45 members were elected in single-seat constituencies and 15 were elected through party lists.
Since October 2007, the Supreme Council is a unicameral legislature. Originally it consisted of 90 members, however when in 2010 President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted during the Kyrgyz Revolution, a new Constitution was adopted, that increased the number of members to 120. Parties are limited to 65 seats in order to prevent power concentration. A vote on a new constitution cut the number of seats in the parliament by 25%, thereby returning to 90 seats.

## Electoral system

Out of the 90 seats in the Supreme Council, 54 are elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency, and 36 in single-seat districts. To win seats, parties must pass a national electoral threshold of 5% of the votes cast (down from 7% in the October 2020 elections), and receive at least 0.5% of the vote in each of the seven regions. The lists are open, with voters able to cast a single preferential vote. No one party is allowed to be given more than half of the proportional seats. Party lists are required to have at least 30% of the candidates from each gender, and every fourth candidate had to be of a different gender. Each list is also required to have at least 15% of the candidates being from ethnic minorities and 15% of under 35 years old, as well as at least two candidates with disabilities.

## Speakers

The first legislature of Kyrgyzstan was Supreme Soviet until 1994.
Bicameral legislature was established in 1995, and replaced with unicameral legislature, Supreme Council, in 2005.
Chairmen of the Assembly of People's Representatives of Kyrgyzstan was the presiding officer of one of the two chambers of the Supreme Council.
| Name | Took office | Left office |
| Almanbet Matubraimov | 29 March 1995 | 26 November 1997 |
| Abdıganı Erkebayev | 26 November 1997 | April 2000 |
| Altay Borubayev | 25 April 2000 | 24 March 2005 |
| Muratbek Mukashev | 24 March 2005 | 25 March 2005 |
The Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyzstan was the presiding officer of one of the two chambers of the Supreme Council.
| Name | Took office | Left office |
| Mukar Cholponbayev | 29 March 1995 | 15 November 1996 |
| Usup Mukambayev | 15 November 1996 | 14 April 2000 |
| Abdıganı Erkebayev | 15 April 2000 | 24 March 2005 |
| Ishenbai Kadyrbekov | 24 March 2005 | 25 March 2005 |
Chairmen of the Supreme Council since 2005. Annual compensation of the chairman is 975 000 soms.
| Name | Took office | Left office |
| Omurbek Tekebaev | 27 March 2005 | 27 February 2006 |
| Marat Sultanov | 2 March 2006 | 22 October 2007 |
| Adahan Madumarov | 24 December 2007 | 29 May 2008 |
| Aytibay Tagaev | 29 May 2008 | 17 December 2009 |
| Zaynidin Kurmanov | 24 December 2009 | 6 June 2010 |
| Ahmatbek Keldibekov | 17 December 2010 | 14 December 2011 |
| Asilbek Jeenbekov | 21 December 2011 | 13 April 2016 |
| Chynybai Tursunbekov | 27 April 2016 | 25 October 2017 |
| Dastan Jumabekov | 25 October 2017 | 6 October 2020 |
| Myktybek Abdyldayev | 6 October 2020 | 10 October 2020 |
| Kanatbek Isaev | 13 October 2020 | 4 November 2020 |
| Talant Mamytov | 4 November 2020 | Incumbent |

## Last elections

* 2021 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
* 2020 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
* 2015 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
* 2010 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
* 2007 Kyrgyz parliamentary election

### 2005 parliamentary election

The 2005 Kyrgyz parliamentary elections were held in February and March 2005. More than 400 candidates ran for the new 75-member unicameral legislative assembly. There were two rounds of voting held on 27 February and 13 March. Six seats were won by opposition politicians. Most candidates were officially independent. International observers said the elections fell short of international standards for democratic elections in several important areas. Widespread protests over alleged rigging of the election by the government culminated in the Tulip Revolution on 24 March. Revolutionaries overthrew President Askar Akayev.