Supreme Council (Kyrgyzstan)

During Soviet rule, it was known as the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSR.

From August 1991, when Kyrgyzstan gained independence from the Soviet Union, until October 2007, when the Constitution was changed in a referendum, the Supreme Council consisted of the Legislative Assembly (Мыйзам Чыгаруу Жыйыны, Myizam Chygaruu Jyiyny; lit. 'Upper House') and the Assembly of People's Representatives (Эл Өкүлдөр Жыйыны, El Öküldör Jyiyny; lit. 'Lower House') with 60 and 45 members, respectively. The members of both houses were elected to five-year terms. In the Assembly of People's Representatives all 45 members were elected in single-seat constituencies; in the Legislative Assembly 45 members were elected in single-seat constituencies and 15 were elected through party lists.

Since October 2007, the Supreme Council is a unicameral legislature. Originally it consisted of 90 members, however when in 2010 President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted during the Kyrgyz Revolution, a new Constitution was adopted, that increased the number of members to 120. Parties are limited to 65 seats in order to prevent power concentration. A vote on a new constitution cut the number of seats in the parliament by 25%, thereby returning to 90 seats.^[4]

Of those 90 seats, 54 were elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency, and 36 in single-seat districts.^[5] To win seats, parties were required to pass a national electoral threshold of 5% of the votes cast (down from 7% in the October 2020 elections),^[6] and receive at least 0.5% of the vote in each of the seven regions.^[7] The lists were open, with voters able to cast a single preferential vote. No one party was allowed to be given more than half of the proportional seats.^[8][9] Party lists were required to have at least 30% of the candidates from each gender, and every fourth candidate had to be of a different gender. Each list was also required to have at least 15% of the candidates being from ethnic minorities and 15% of under 35 years old, as well as at least two candidates with disabilities.^[9][10]

The 90 seats in the Supreme Council are elected by single non-transferable vote, with the country being divided into 30 three-member constituencies, with voters casting a single vote and the top three candidates being elected, though one seat per constituency is reserved for the highest-polling woman and one for the highest-polling man. Candidates may run either as independents or as nominees of a political party.^[11][12]

The first legislature of Kyrgyzstan was Supreme Soviet until 1994.

Bicameral legislature was established in 1995, and replaced with unicameral legislature, Supreme Council, in 2005.^[13]

Chairmen of the Assembly of People's Representatives of Kyrgyzstan was the presiding officer of one of the two chambers of the Supreme Council.^[14]

The Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyzstan was the presiding officer of one of the two chambers of the Supreme Council.^[14]

Chairmen of the Supreme Council since 2005.^[14] Annual compensation of the chairman is 975 000 soms.^{[citation needed]}

• 2021 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
• 2020 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
• 2015 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
• 2010 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
• 2007 Kyrgyz parliamentary election

• List of members of the Supreme Council (Kyrgyzstan), 2015–present
• List of Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet of the KSSR and the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan
• List of Chairmen of the Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyzstan
• List of Chairmen of the Assembly of People's Representatives of Kyrgyzstan
• Politics of Kyrgyzstan
• List of legislatures by country