Kyrgyzstan populist winning with nearly 80% in presidential vote

Populist Sadyr Japarov was on the path to an easy win Sunday in Kyrgyzstan's presidential election, the first vote following a political crisis in the Central Asian country.

Results published by the ex-Soviet country's Central Election Commission (CEC) showed Japarov with close to 80 percent of the vote after nearly all the ballots were counted.

The results of a referendum held in parallel showed Kyrgyz strongly preferring presidential rule, which would grant Japarov sweeping powers when a new constitution is passed, most probably later this year.

Just over 10 percent supported parliamentarian rule.

The referendum vote spells the end for a mixed political system adopted in 2010 to tame authoritarianism after two successive strongman presidents were ejected from power during street protests.

Japarov, 52, was serving jail time on hostage-taking charges when protests in October saw him freed by supporters and propelled to the top of the political pyramid.

CEC data Sunday showed his closest competitor trailing with less than 7 percent.

The crisis that allowed for Japarov's overnight rehabilitation and rise to power was sparked by vote-buying campaigns favouring parties close to former president Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

Jeenbekov resigned at the insistence of Japarov's supporters and after agreeing to sign off on Japarov's election as prime minister by parliament.

Japarov also became acting president following the resignation during the political chaos that worried key allies Russia and China, but he stepped down from both roles to compete in the vote.