On Monday 16 October, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) said that the presidential election in Kyrgyzstan – won by Sooronbay Jeenbekov the previous day – had been peaceful, orderly, competitive and well-administered.
"The active participation of Kyrgyz citizens in a peaceful, orderly and competitive election of the future president of the country confirms the commitment to democracy and political reform", the EEAS spokesperson stated in a press release. Picking up on what the international election observation mission (IEOM) had said, the spokesperson stated that the election had contributed to the strengthening of democratic institutions by providing for an orderly transfer of power from one elected president to another. The spokesperson also stated that the elections had been well administered.
"Over recent years, the country's authorities have invested in improving the electoral process and in increasing the transparency of elections, with the support of international donors including the European Union", the EEAS spokesperson said. Nevertheless, the spokesperson added, the IEOM identified certain shortcomings, such as vote-buying, pressure on voters, restrictions on media freedom and the use of administrative resources. "The authorities should effectively address (the) forthcoming recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR", the EEAS spokesperson stated, adding that the European Union stands ready to assist in this process.
The former prime minister, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, won the election (against 12 other candidates) with 54% of the votes. The turnout rate was 56%. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)