Kyrgyzstan vote

KYRGYZSTAN voted for a new parliament yesterday, a test of its ability to stage a clean vote eight months before a presidential race that could lead to Central Asia’s first peaceful post-Soviet handover of power.

With the stakes high for control of the 75-seat parliament ahead of a possible presidential succession in October, the opposition declared the poll flawed, citing protests in the mountains, a muzzled media and state interference.

Rampant corruption and poverty coupled with a relatively liberal political climate have fuelled speculation that the first vote in the former Soviet bloc since Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, could spill into Ukraine-style protests.

Speaking after casting his ballot, veteran President Askar Akayev sought to dispel suggestions he was clinging to power and would change the constitution to stay in office.