Parliamentary elections of 2008

As a result of the constitutional reform in 2007, the parliament began to be formed according to party lists. Kurmanbek Bakiyev quickly created the Ak Zhol party to take the majority of seats in the parliament. Social-Democrats won 11 seats, despite many harsh violations in Kyrgyz elections. ^[10]

As more loyal to the party in power of that period. In those years, representatives of the Social Democrats became strong oppositionary force in the parliament. Thus, Irina Karamushkina sealed her mouth in the presence of the media in response to the remarks of Vice Speaker Kubanychbek Isabekov to control her speech in parliament. Baktybek Beshimov, the leader of the Social Democrats faction, in September 2009, speaking with a lecture to students in Washington, announced that he had secretly left Kyrgyzstan through the territory of Kazakhstan. Then he issued a statement to the media: "I was forced to temporarily leave the country due to a direct attempt to physically destroy me after a long, targeted persecution."^[11]

Biometric elections

Biometric elections system in Kyrgyzstan requires fingerprint to eliminate the risks of multiple voting, voter fraud and voter carousels

A landmark event during the work of Social Democratic party is the introduction of biometric passports and a biometric electoral system that ensured the transparency of elections and excluded the possibility for one citizen to vote several times. It became possible to vote only after identifying your fingerprint.^[17] While the party was in power, the country introduced a system of participation in elections based on biometric data, which dramatically increased the transparency of the voting procedure and eliminated many opportunities for falsification. The 2014 law "On Biometric Registration of Citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic" played an important role in the development of the institution of democratic elections.^[18]

The European Union assisted Kyrgyzstan and Social Democratic party in organizing the parliamentary (2015) elections, which were found to be fair and competitive.^[19] Atambayev, who became president of the country, negotiated this assistance during his visit to Brussels during negotiations with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schultz and the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy in 2013. Also at that time, Atambayev had an active dialogue with the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.^[20] Alexander Soros positively reviewed digitalization efforts of Kyrgyz government in Taza Koom project.^[21]

Constitutional Referendum and development of parliamentary system

Voting in a referendum using an electronic biometric system

Social Democrats presided over a constitutional referendum which proposed that the increasing the powers of the Prime Minister and his/her government, as well as reforms to the judicial system. International experts - Carnegie Endowment - positively assessed the transition to a parliamentary form of government by constitutional reform, the strengthening of the role of the prime minister and parliament thanks to the constitutional reform, as well as the fact that it was supposed to stabilize the institution of power as opposed to the growing spread of Islamist ideology in the country.^[22] The changes were approved with a landslide majority of close to 80% of the Kyrgyz population. Atambaev chose to step away from the second presidential term and abide the Constitution despite Putin and Nazarbaev asking him to stay in power: "Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev asked me to stay for a second term, but I explained that I could not, because we have a different people. People will choose the one whom they consider the most worthy."^[23]

George Soros spoke positively about Almazbek Atambayev, stating that "Kyrgyzstan was lucky to have a non-corrupt president", noting that the coming to power of a person who is not mired in corruption is good for the democratic development of the country.^[24]

Abolishment of military courts

In November 2015, the Ministry of Defense was re-branded as the State Committee for Defense Affairs on Atambayev's orders while transferring authority over the Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan to the General Staff, with the Chief of the General Staff exercising his/her authority as the paramount leader of the military and the second in command to the president.^[25]

In December 2016, Atambayev signed a decree officially abolishing the use of military courts in Kyrgyzstan.^[26]

Background and formation

According to appeal of the Social Democrats published in 2020, the party "was created back in 2018 under Almazbek Atambayev as a fallback in case the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) was not allowed to participate in the 2020 parliamentary elections. Atambayev foresaw the whole situation, and, as a wise and far-sighted politician, acted strategically correctly by creating a new platform".^[29]

Following the arrest and detention of Atambayev in the pre-trial detention center of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic, there were speculations that Atambayev's supporters would not be allowed to participate in any elections under the SDKP party-list. Under these conditions, party members registered a "reserved" political organization. Until the spring of 2020, the Social Democrats did not make themselves widely known until 28 May 2020, when the party congress was held, at which Seyidbek Atambaev, the eldest son of Atambayev, was elected chairman of the Social Democrats.^[29]

Elections of 2020

The Social Democrats took part in the October 2020 Kyrgyz parliamentary election, where according to preliminary results, the party failed to overcome the 7% electoral threshold required to enter the Supreme Council as the vast majority of parliamentary seats were won by pro-government parties.^[30] On the evening of 4 October 2020, young party leaders of the Social Democrats Aizhan Myrsan, Temirlan Sultanbekov and Kadyrbek Atambaev refused to accept election results as they accused of them being allegedly rigged and instead called on their supporters to attend demonstration in the Ala-Too Square. The following day on 5 October, supporters of the Social Democrats were the first to protest in the square, with them eventually being joined by representatives of other opposition parties later that day who gathered their supporters at the Opera and Ballet Theatre.^[31] The number of participants in the protest rally increased, by the evening protesters clashed with the police, which ended with the capture of the White House by the opposition, where the parliament and the presidential apparatus were located. The demonstrators released Atambayev from prison, who had been in custody since the Koi-Tash events of 2019. Eight opposition parties have created a Coordinating Council. The council included the Social Democrats, as well as the Respublika, Ata Meken, Butun Kyrgyzstan, Bir Bol, Zamandash, and Ordo parties. However, the Coordinating Council did not receive real political power.^[32]

Temirlan Sultanbekov is being brought to trial as he is being suppressed

The next day, October 6, the press service of the Social Democrats informed about the unification with members of the SDPK, who "remained faithful to the values of social democracy." The party called the events that took place on the night of 6 October historical in a statement, "Once again, the Kyrgyz people, united by the desire for justice and freedom, overthrew the criminal government."^[33] However, on 9 October, a large rally of the Coordinating Council on Ala-Too Square was dispersed by supporters Sadyr Japarov, and on 10 October, Atambayev was detained by special services and brought back to prison.^[34] Later, he was released with the help of Spanish Prime-Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Subsequently, participation in the 2020 protests became the basis for bringing to justice one of the leaders of the Social Democrats, Temirlan Sultanbekov, since, according to the prosecution, he allegedly organized riots and tried to seize power. Sultanbekov himself denied this completely.^[35]

On 12 February 2021, Temirlan Sultanbekov was elected chairman of the party at the congress of the Social Democrats party with the support of Atambayev.^[36]