significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of
the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006,
President BAKIEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution
granting greater powers to the parliament and the government;
amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back
to the president, but both November and December 2006 versions were
annulled in September 2007, and a new version was approved by
referendum on 21 October 2007; the BAKIEV-initiated referendum was
criticized by Western observers for voting irregularities,
particularly ballot stuffing

Legal system:

based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIEV (since 14 August 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Igor CHUDINOV (since 24 December
2007)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
appointed by the president; ministers in charge of defense and
security, appointed solely by the president
elections: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected by popular vote for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005
(next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the
parliamentary party holding more than 50% of the seats; if no such
party exists, the president selects the party that will nominate a
prime minister
election results: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected president; percent of
vote - Kurmanbek BAKIEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other
candidates 7.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kengesh (90 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 December 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - Ak Jol 71, Social Democratic Party 11, KCP 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and
Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the
Jorgorku Kengesh on the recommendation of the president; their
mandatory retirement age is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration;
Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a
probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Political parties and leaders:

Ak Jol [Avtandil ARABAYEV, Elmira IBRAIMOVA,