Kyrgyzstan: parties belong to clans

Are Clans playing role of parties in Kyrgyzstan?

There are about 100 political organizations registered in Kyrgyzstan. It seems, deputies are too busy to accept a law regulating this sphere. However, experts insist, parties as independent units aimed at polity sphere formation in society are absent in the republic. Such role belongs to clans and political establishment is separated among these clans.

Money and power relations

What is a political party in modern Kyrgyzstan? It is a group of people with random interests united by a leader’s will and exist on his or his sponsors’ money or donations.

The 2012 local government elections showed total political inability of such groups. Recall, the elections were holding in Osh city, Karakol, Tokmok, Balykchy towns and 17 country’s district, on March 4 and 25.

Other feature of these elections, according a law, were electorate groups. These groups competed with parties on equal level with them and in Tokmok, Karakol and Balykchy they were in top 5.

“I would call Osh city mayor Melis Myrzakmantov’s party Uluttar Birimdigi the electorate group too as it is not a classic political. The “party” includes activists who support the mayor. But a party can’t be only local. Moreover, only dwellers of the South Kyrgyzstan,” notes an expert Valentin Bogatyrev.

Fail remains fail even in Paris

As for political parties having factions in Parliament, analysts consider their total fail. True, Respublika party won in Balykchy and Tokmok. However, after series of scandals when Central Elections Commission (CEC) even tried to cancel the results as there were serious violations in 9 voting stations. CEC also was comparing voting protocols. So, it is hard to speak about fair victory of Respublika.

Of course, nobody cancelled the elections’ results: only 4 voting stations out of 9 failed and Tokmok TEC (Territorial Elections Commission). The TEC was disbanded but unpleasant feelings remained.

In Karakol town the elections’ participants and voters didn’t want to admit SDPK (Social and Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan) party’s victory. Youth organizations “celebrated” the party’s victory with protests. So, we can’t say that parties can rely on local dwellers’ support.

“The recent elections were the exam for political parties presented in Parliament of Kyrgyzstan, and the result was very controversial. Positive moment is that the country’s democratization continues. Mandates’ distribution cause some questions: why Melis Myrzakmatov’s party won in Osh city? Not SDPK or Respublika? What could the Osh city mayor offer? Or, is this a sign that Osh city voters were choosing leaders and can’t understand elections process fully? Maybe, they are not satisfied with any party in Parliament? It seems, parties which were leaders one or one and a half year ago don’t satisfy voters’ expectations and Kyrgyzstan is going to face with political parties’ crisis,” said deputy of Parliament Ravshan Zheenbekov.

“Electorate groups were fighting with parties on the same level. Parties’ leaders have to think why they are not popular in provinces. Parties have many resources including administrative resource. Nevertheless, they didn’t get a necessary number of votes. It may seem, there is an active process of parties’ creation but their ideas unclear and population can’t understand it. Means of such parties are extreme,” said Dinara Oshurakhunova, a head of Democracy and Civic Society Coalition civic organization.

Love is only word

What units rule in politics of Kyrgyzstan? Can we expect that the country will return to majoritarian electoral system which means battle for legislative body between individual candidates, not parties? Did party-building processes discredit itself and the initiators couldn’t realize good intentions?

However, former Speaker of Parliament Zaydin Kurmanov assumes that the majoritarian system return is not an effective solution. “If it [majoritarian system] return then elections will be won not by best people, but the rich. It can lead to oligarchic polity which is not adequate to modern world trends,” he noted.

Meanwhile, political parties of Kyrgyzstan don’t develop as such definition like political philosophy is absent. In “ideal” party, its members should have determination to spread ideas of party. They definitely shouldn’t have only money (Ata Zhurt and Respublika parties are notorious samples of it).

“Parties are being created on principle of personal relations with leader. It is an old-fashioned model. In order to change situation we need to increase quality of political elite and bring up a new breed of leaders,” says a political scientist Marat Kazakpaev.

No money, no win

Another question is where to find new ones instead of old ones. Endless battles for “the best political faction” in Parliament are the proof that leaders of main political parties can’t hear voices of ordinary people and reform parties in accordance with new standards. As they depend from rich members of their parties who paid enough money for deputy mandate or even a ministerial position.

“And other problem is that parties don’t work completely with electorate: don’t fulfill promises described in their programs,” stressed Marat Kazakpaev.

Who can name parties – members of current Parliament – which don’t fulfill promises? Maybe, it is SDPK party or Respublika – parties of President and Prime Minister, respectively? No. Maybe Ata Meken which became Parliamentary Coalition member? Or Ar Namys party which often complains that couldn’t realize its program because of the party’s oppositional status? The answer is also “NO”.

“Parties which are currently in Parliament won’t win any upcoming elections,” stressed Marat Kazakpaev.

It is hard to argue with him as the local government election campaign proves his point of view. Real life shows: the only lesson for parties’ leaders is next. Today, it is not enough to bring one-two hundred people to some voting station and make them to vote or simple buying of votes.