Ak Zhol

The Ak Zhol party was a significant political entity in Kyrgyzstan, particularly during the presidency of Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Following the 2005 Tulip Revolution, which overthrew President Askar Akayev, Bakiyev was elected president. In 2007, a referendum approved constitutional changes that increased parliamentary seats and shifted their allotment to party lists, a move seen as bolstering Bakiyev's Ak Zhol party. This led to Ak Zhol winning a substantial majority in the subsequent December elections, controlling nearly four-fifths of the parliament.1

However, Bakiyev's presidency was marked by increasing authoritarianism and corruption, leading to widespread protests and his ouster in April 2010. After Bakiyev's removal, the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) became dominant, though it later fractured due to internal conflicts by the end of the 2010s.12