This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7145133.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Kyrgyzstan votes in key election Kyrgyzstan votes in key election
(about 13 hours later)
Voters in Kyrgyzstan are going to the polls to choose new MPs in a general election that could bring to an end two years of political upheaval. Voting has ended in Kyrgyzstan's snap parliamentary election which the authorities hope will end two years of upheaval in the ex-Soviet republic.
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev called the vote after overhauling the constitution and launching his own party, Ak Zhol, which has been widely tipped to win. First results are not due until Monday but a BBC correspondent says the ruling Ak Zhol Party seems to be preparing for an overwhelming victory.
Critics say the poll and constitutional changes are a power-grab and accuse him of moving towards authoritarianism. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev called the vote after revising the constitution. Turnout is said to have been 60%.
Opposition groups have made allegations of bribery and electoral fraud.
Critics of the president say the poll and constitutional changes are a power grab and accuse him of moving towards authoritarianism.
His supporters argue that the new system is fairer and more democratic.His supporters argue that the new system is fairer and more democratic.
Polling stations opened at 0800 (0200GMT) and will close at 2000 (1400GMT), with preliminary results expected on Monday. It was the first parliamentary vote since 2005, when allegations of a rigged ballot led to mass protests that drove President Askar Akayev from power.
The election is the first parliamentary vote since 2005, when allegations of a rigged ballot led to mass protests that drove President Askar Akayev from power. Foreign monitors are not expected to comment on the election until after the preliminary results are announced.
Two tense years
Mr Bakiyev came to power on the wave of the 2005 street protests.
Profile: Kurmanbek BakiyevQ&A: Kyrgyz electionProfile: Kurmanbek BakiyevQ&A: Kyrgyz election
Opposition parties have already accused Mr Bakiyev of foul play, saying their activists have been intimidated and local government officials have been pressurised into voting for Ak Zhol. Since then many of his former allies have turned against him, saying he has failed to put an end to corruption and cronyism.
Almazbek Atambayev, leader of the Social Democratic Party, which is expected to be the main opposition, said there would "certainly be fraud". As they wait for the results of this election, Mr Bakiyev's opponents want him to remember what happened the last time the government here tried to rig the vote, BBC Central Asia correspondent Natalia Antelava says.
"We will not watch idly in case of lawlessness... a number of parties are preparing protests," he said. "Just as we expected, the authorities resorted to massive power abuse," said Omurbek Tekebayev, head of the opposition Ata-Meken party.
But the president has pledged that "all will be honest" with the vote in the former Soviet republic, which has a reputation for being the most politically open country in the Central Asia region. President Bakiyev says he is trying to establish stability and MPs are being elected on a party-list basis for the first time, with 12 parties competing.
Kyrgyzstan has suffered political upheaval since 2005, when Mr Akayev fled to Russia. "It will be a new and productive parliament," Mr Bakiyev said after casting his ballot in the capital, Bishkek.
Mr Bakiyev led the street protests against Mr Akayev, but he has suffered growing unrest during his own period in office. Strategic interests
Claims of cronyism and of failure to fight corruption led to mass protests in the streets of the capital, Bishkek, earlier this year. Kyrgyzstan is home to Washington's only remaining military outpost in Central Asia.
Russia, which still has close Soviet-era connections with Kyrgyzstan and interests in the region's natural resources and energy transit routes, also has an air base locally.
When Mr Akayev was ousted, he took refuge in Moscow.
China, which shares a border with Kyrgyzstan, is also seen as a competitor for economic influence.