The bloc “For the Resignation of President Askar Akaev and Reforms for the People” explained that the campaign has been motivated by the latest political developments in the country. Topchubek Turgunaliev, leader of “Erkinkik” party, in an interview to RFE/RL said that the six parties of the bloc had agreed that if ex-ambassadors would not be allowed to run for parliamentary elections scheduled for 27 February, the bloc would launch a campaign for the resignation of President Akaev. The opposition leaders say that the decision prohibiting ex-ambassadors to register as candidates for parliamentary elections had been adopted to strengthen the power of the current leadership.

In the meantime, supporters of President Akaev have also started a petition to change the Constitution so that he could run for another term. The campaign, which is by nature contrary to the President’s stated convictions, was initiated not by the government but by a professedly independent public group called “With the People, For the People” formed last summer in southern Kyrgyzstan. The group aims at extending President Akaev’s reign until 2010. The supporters of this campaign think that President Akaev should be allowed to complete his reforms. In an interview to IWPR the Director of the “With the People, For the People” said that it is due to the efforts of the incumbent President that Kyrgyzstan today lives in stability and ethnic peace.

According to the Kyrgyz Constitution, at least 300,000 signatures would need to be collected before a national referendum could be held for the extension of the President’s term. At present the “With the People, For the People” group has reportedly gathered around 50,000 signatures, of which 30,000 were officially handed over to the State Secretary Osmonakun Ibraimov during a meeting held in December 2004.

The campaign to extend the President’s term has been harshly criticized by opposition forces, who say that it is unacceptable and a violation of Constitution. Some think that the initiative to extend Akaev’s presidency has been planned at the top levels including by the President himself, and they dismiss the idea that it came from the grassroots. Others suggest that it is an undertaking of some high-ranking officials who want to keep the status quo and retain the privileges they enjoy now for years to come.

The extension of the President’s term, which would require just another change of Constitution, is though by most observers to be too risky. If the term of the incumbent President is somehow extended, Kyrgyzstan runs the risk of losing the significant financial support rendered by International Financial Institutions, which could generate serious consequences for the country, given its huge external debt. In addition, serious attempts to extend the President’s term is likely to spark a wave of opposition to the regime.