Explainer: making sense of Kyrgyzstan’s latest political power grab
MECACS member Dr Matteo Fumagalli has recently published an explanatory piece in ‘The Conversation’ on making sense of the latest political power grab in Kyrgyzstan. The piece describes how a network of nationalist politicians orchestrated the power grab, many of whom were loyal to former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, ousted in 2010. In discussing the regional and international response to events in Kyrgyzstan, the piece highlights Beijing’s lack of response up to this point, which is notable considering its significant interests in the local minerals sector. The piece also mentions Russia and how Moscow has long regarded the tendency towards instability, inherent in Kyrgyzstan’s competitive political system, as a source of concern. Dr Fumagalli concludes that the Kremlin backed the losing horse when it emphasised the stabilising role of former President Jeenbekov in October and now hopes that current prime minister Sadyr Japarov will be able to swiftly assert control.