Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, the Zhogorku Kenesh, has scheduled the country’s next presidential election for Jan. 27, 2027, prompting the Central Election Commission (CEC) to open the official nomination period. Incumbent President Sadyr Japarov and Omurbek Suvanaliev, a former minister of internal affairs, have both publicly announced their intentions to compete for the presidency.
President Japarov confirmed in an August interview that he would seek a second term. He was elected in January 2021 following political unrest in October 2020. At the time of his election, the Kyrgyz constitution limited presidents to a single six-year term. However, a constitutional referendum held in 2021 changed the presidential term to five years and allows for a president to serve a maximum of two terms. In February 2026, Kyrgyzstan’s Constitutional Court ruled that Japarov’s current term qualifies as his first, making him eligible to run again under the new system.
During the same August interview, Japarov also commented on his political relationship with Kamchybek Tashiev, the former head of the State Committee for National Security. Japarov stated he had previously considered Tashiev as a potential successor but concluded he was “not ready.” Tashiev was convicted in July on charges of a coup attempt but did not receive a prison sentence. After prosecutors appealed for a more severe punishment, the charges were reclassified, and the sentence was reduced further in September.
Omurbek Suvanaliev announced his candidacy on Sept. 24 in an interview with RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Azattyk. Suvanaliev has held several government positions, including minister of internal affairs from 2006 to 2007 and governor of the Naryn region from 2008 to 2009. He also served as a deputy secretary in the Security Council until his dismissal in October 2020 during the events that led to a change in government. Suvanaliev previously ran for president in 2011, receiving 0.89% of the vote. According to the Azattyk report, Suvanaliev said he believes a candidate who can challenge the incumbent president should run in the election.
According to the Kyrgyz Constitution, presidential candidates must be at least 35 years old, speak the state language, and have resided in Kyrgyzstan for at least 15 years. Candidates are required to collect a minimum of 30,000 signatures and submit a nonrefundable fee of 1 million som (approximately $11,400). A 2025 law also bars individuals with criminal records from running for the office.
In his August interview, Japarov addressed the upcoming election, stating, “Anyone who wants to run for office can do so… We won’t restrict anyone. The elections will be transparent, and there will be no obstacles for competitors.”
