BISHKEK, November 8 (RIA Novosti) - Kyrgyzstan's parliament adopted a new constitution cutting the president's powers, in two short readings on Wednesday.
The vote followed a week of opposition protests in the Central Asian country's capital, Bishkek, calling for President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to resign or delegate some of his powers to parliament, due to his failure to implement reforms.
A total of 65 deputies out of 68 present in 75-seat legislature voted in favor of the draft constitution in the final vote. The document will come into force after receiving the president's signature.
The new constitution, drafted after a compromise agreement between the opposition and pro-presidential lawmakers and amended by Bakiyev, will strip the president of the right to dissolve parliament, and authorize legislators to appoint the prime minister and the Cabinet.
State Secretary Adakhan Madumarov said that the president will sign the document as soon as it receives the backing of lawmakers.
Russia has been keeping a close eye on the political standoff in the mountainous country, at the heart of the struggling post-Soviet Central Asian region in which world powers are competing for political and economic influence.
Parliamentarians and President Kurmanbek Bakiyev agreed in the amended draft that parliament will consist of 90 members, half of whom will be elected on a single constituency basis and the other half will represent political parties.
Parliament also agreed to the president's proposal to alter the impeachment procedure. The number of votes required for impeachment will be increased from two thirds to three quarters, or 68 members in the new 90-seat parliament.
Azimbek Beknazarov, an opposition MP and member of the For Reform movement, warned earlier that parliament would dissolve itself if Bakiyev fails to sign the amended constitution.
