Kyrgyzstan government in shock as coalition talks begin

Reuters

Five parties have begun negotiations to form a coalition government in Kyrgyzstan after they all won seats in parliament in Sunday’s election. President Roza Otunbayeva has reportedly said she is in a state of shock after the nationalist Ata-Zhurt won the most votes.

A government source told Russia's Kommersant newspaper that the victory of the Ata-Zhurt party, which is believed to be connected to ousted president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, was a blow to the interim government.

Ata-Zhurt and Ar-Namys, which came third, have vowed to restore a presidential system, six months after President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted in a revolution.
 
Ata-Zhurt unexpectedly won the most votes with some 8.88 per cent. The pro-government Social Democratic Party was close behind on 8.04 per cent, while the pro-Moscow Ar-Namys party of ex-prime minister Felix Kulov came third on 7.74 per cent.

The Republic Party was fourth on 7.24 per cent and another pro-government faction Ata-Meken fifth with 5.6 per cent. A total of 29 parties contested the polls and a minimum five per cent of the vote was required to enter the Zhogorku Kenesh parliament.