The five political parties that won seats in Kyrgyzstan's new parliament have agreed to a vote recount, a party official said on Wednesday, after concerns about irregularities and protests from losing party supporters.
Kyrgyzstan is trying to create the first parliamentary democracy in Central Asia, a region dominated by post-Soviet strongmen, four months after hundreds of people were killed in ethnic violence and six months after President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was overthrown in a revolt.
Akylbek Zhaparov, one of the leaders of the third-placed Ar-Namys party, said there was uncertainty about the number of votes cast in Sunday's election. The recount could admit a sixth party to parliament, which will have greater powers than the president. Divisions among the parties mean difficult coalition talks lie ahead. None of the successful parties won more than 9 percent of the vote and a three-party coalition would be need to command a majority of the 120 seats.
More than 60 percent of voters cast ballots for 24 parties that failed to win seats. Illustrating the potential for violence among those who voted for parties that lost out, up to 1,000 Butun Kyrgyzstan supporters held a rally on Tuesday in Osh, scene of the worst ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan's modern history, saying the vote was rigged.
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