Bakiyev wins Kyrgyz presidential election

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2005

BISHKEK (AFP) — Kyrgyzstan's interim leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev won a landslide presidential election in the Central Asian republic, the first since a revolt ousted former president Askar Akayev in March.

Exit polls by three Kyrgyz organisations gave Bakiyev 88 percent of the vote. The closest of his five opponents got just 4.6 percent.

The results were based on polling conducted with participants during the first nine hours of voting, but did not include the last five hours.

About 2.6 million voters were eligible to take part in the election, for which 2,000 polling stations were set up.

Full preliminary results, as well as a verdict on the fairness of the poll from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, were expected late Monday.

© 2005 AFP