Kurmanbek Bakiyev

Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev (Курманбек Салиевич (Сали уулу) Бакиев, Kurmanbek Saliyevich (Sali Uulu) Bakiyev; born 1 August 1949) is a Kyrgyz politician who served as the second president of Kyrgyzstan, from 2005 to 2010.

He was born on 1 August 1949 in the village of Masadan in the Jalal-Abad Region of the Kirghiz SSR.

His father, Sali Bakiyev, was the chairman of a collective farm.

In 1974, Bakiyev served in the ranks of the Soviet Army.

In 1978, he graduated from the Kuibyshev Polytechnic Institute (now Samara State Technical University).

In 1979, he moved to Jalal-Abad where, from 1979 to 1985, he worked at the plug-in connectors factory.

Between 1990 and 1991 he worked as the first secretary of the Kok-Yangak City Committee of the Communist Party of Kirghizia.

Starting in 1995, he was the Governor of the Jalal-Abad Region, and Governor of the Chui Region.

In December 2000, Bakiyev was appointed prime minister of Kyrgyzstan.

The Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyzstan of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan appointed him acting president on 25 March 2005, following the ousting, during the Tulip Revolution, of President Askar Akayev.

Following the events of the 2005 Tulip Revolution, Bakiyev won the 10 July ballot for the presidential election with 89% of the vote with a 53% turnout.

Despite initial hopes, Bakiyev's term in office was marred by the murder of several prominent politicians, prison riots, economic ills and battles for control of lucrative businesses.

In 2006, Bakiyev faced a political crisis as thousands of people participated in a series of protests in Bishkek.

He was accused of not following through with his promises to limit presidential power, give more authority to parliament and the prime minister, and eradicate corruption and crime.

Bakiyev claimed the opposition was plotting a coup against him.

In October 2007, Bakiyev initiated the creation of Ak Jol party, but could not lead it due to his presidency.

In April 2007, the opposition held protests demanding Bakiyev's resignation, with a large protest beginning on 11 April in Bishkek.

Bakiyev signed constitutional amendments to reduce his own power on 10 April but the protest went ahead, with protesters saying that they would remain until he resigned.

Clashes broke out between protesters and police on 19 April, after which the protests ended.

During Bakiyev's presidency, the relationship between China and Kyrgyzstan strengthened, with increasing numbers of Chinese students in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyz people were anxious about the risk of renewed power shortages and blackouts like in the winter 2008–2009.

In February 2009, while in Moscow, Bakiyev announced the eviction of the US Air Base from Kyrgyzstan, following a meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, during which Russia promised a $2 billion investment.

Bakiyev was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election.

After his re-election, he was presumed to deal with political and economic reform.

The Eurasia Daily Monitor wrote on 10 September 2009 that his style resembled other leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Large opposition protests in April 2010 led to the takeover of government offices, forcing Bakiyev to flee the country.

Bakiyev was the leader of the People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan before his ascendance to the presidency.

He received most of his popular support from the south of the country.

During the winter of 2010, the country suffered from rolling blackouts and cutoffs occurring regularly while energy prices have risen.

In January 2010, Kyrgyzstan sent a delegation to China to discuss improved economic relations.

Kyrgyzstan's national electric company, Natsionalnaya electricheskaya syet, and the Chinese Tebian Electric signed a $342 million contract to build the Datka-Kemin 500 kv power transmission lines.

This would have reduced Kyrgyzstan's dependence on the Central Asian power system.

The delegation was led by Bakiyev's son.

In February 2010 Kyrgyzstan had to raise energy tariffs.

Heating costs were reportedly going to rise 400 percent and electricity by 170 percent.

Russia backed his government until March 2010.

The Eurasian Daily Monitor reported on 1 April that, for two weeks, the Kremlin had used the Russian mass media to run a negative campaign against Bakiyev.

Russia controls much of the media in Kyrgyzstan.

The sudden campaign coincided with Bakiyev's failure to carry out Russia's various demands related to things such as military bases.

On 1 April 2010, Russia also imposed duties on energy exports to Kyrgyzstan.