Kyrgyzstan · Legislation
Legislation and primary sources
Where to find the authoritative text of the law in Kyrgyzstan, and how to confirm it is still in force.
Sources of law, ranked
- The Constitution
- The 2021 text; supreme and directly applicable.
- Laws of the Jogorku Kenesh
- The Civil Code 1996-98, Criminal Code and Labour Code are the principal instruments.
- Presidential decrees
- A major source of operative regulation under the 2021 constitutional model.
- International treaties
- Ratified treaties are part of the legal system and prevail over inconsistent domestic law.
- Custom applied by aksakal courts
- Statutorily recognised for defined minor disputes, subject to appeal to the ordinary courts.
The legislative process
Bills may be introduced by deputies, the President, the Cabinet or by a popular initiative of 10,000 voters — a route that genuinely exists and has been used. Drafts must be published for public consultation under the Law on Normative Legal Acts, and bills affecting rights require an expert assessment. After three readings in the Jogorku Kenesh the President may sign or return the bill, and a veto is overridden by two-thirds. The President may also put constitutional amendments and other questions directly to referendum.
Found something out of date on Kyrgyzstan · Legislation?
Corrections are reviewed against the primary source before anything changes.