New Kyrgyz Ruling Coalition Agreed

Jantoro Satybaldiev (file photo)

Three political parties in Kyrgyzstan have signed an agreement to form a new ruling coalition.

Lawmakers representing the Social Democratic, Ar-Namys (Dignity), and Ata-Meken (Fatherland) parties signed the agreement on September 3.

Together they hold a 69-seat majority in the 120-member parliament.

The three parties unanimously voted to nominate current presidential office head Jantoro Satybaldiev to be the new prime minister.

President Almazbek Atambaev last week gave the Social Democrats, which he formerly led, the mandate to lead negotiations on forming a new coalition.

The government collapsed last month after Ar-Namys and Ata-Meken quit the alliance over differences with outgoing Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov.

Babanov's Respublika party and the Ata-Jurt (Homeland) party will now move into opposition.

Based on reporting by Interfax and ITAR-TASS