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Three parties make it into Kyrgyz parliament

Kyrgyzstan Materials 19 December 2007 11:15 (UTC +04:00)

( RIA Novosti ) - The pro-presidential party Ak-Zhol, the Communists, and the Social Democrats have made it into the Kyrgyz parliament after the Supreme Court ruled to modify a regional election threshold.

Elections to Kyrgyzstan's unicameral 90-seat parliament were held on Sunday. Parties had to win at least 5% of the national vote and overcome a 0.5% threshold in each of the Central Asian state's regions.

According to the final official results, Ak-Zhol gained 46.9% of the vote, Ata-Meken 8.29%, the Communists 5.12% and the Social Democrats 5.05%. However, Ata-Meken, led by a former premier, Almazbek Atambayev, failed to cross the 0.5% regional barrier.

The Supreme Court revised on Tuesday the election commission's decision on the 0.5% regional voting threshold, and ruled that it be based on the number of voters in each region rather than the nationwide spread of voters.

Atambayev declined to comment on the failure of his party to gain a single seat in the legislature despite coming second in the overall nationwide vote.

"Let's wait. Things could yet change before the evening comes," Atambayev said.

On Tuesday, Ata-Meken refused to recognize the results of the polls and said it would demand a revote at some polling stations.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev called the early vote in October after changing the Constitution in a referendum that strengthened his powers, and establishing his own Ak Zhol party.

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