Kyrgyz Government Officially Dismissed After Coalition Collapse

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has officially dismissed the national government following the defections of the Ar-Namys (Dignity) and Ata-Meken (Fatherland) parties.

The split left the two other coalition members -- Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov's Respublika party and President Almazbek Atambaev’s Social Democratic Party -- without a governing majority.

Atambaev has three days to appoint a party to form a new coalition, and the appointed party will have 15 days to complete the task.

The outgoing cabinet's members will remain at their posts until the new government is formed.

Based on reporting by KirTAG, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, and Reuters