Kyrgyzstan: Mayoral Elections Could Further Strain Political Stability

Kyrgyzstan's upcoming local elections, combined with numerous ongoing issues in the country, are threatening to create further instability in an already tenuous political and security environment. Mayoral elections will be held in the key cities of Bishkek and Osh on Jan. 15, marking the first time that mayoral candidates were nominated by city governments rather than by the president. While the transfer of nomination is meant to make the process more democratic, it has also led to increased political friction as rival candidates jockey for favor. External powers with interests in Kyrgyzstan — including Russia and China, but also Western countries with commercial interests in the country, such as Canada — will be watching the elections closely to gauge the vote's impact on those interests.