IRI Kyrgyzstan Poll Shows Increased Optimism for Country’s Direction, Concerns over Economy, Corruption

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – A new poll conducted by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) in Kyrgyzstan shows a strong majority of people have optimistic views about the country’s future, while also expressing concerns over the economy and corruption.

When asked if the country was moving in the right or wrong direction, 85% said Kyrgyzstan is moving in the right direction. This is an increase of 16 percentage points from a previous poll taken by IRI in September 2021.  

Despite these positive feelings, many are concerned about the economy and corruption. When asked about the top issues facing the country, with an opportunity to give multiple answers, unemployment, and the high cost of living both garnered 66%, and 35% said corruption. These were also the top three concerns from the IRI poll in September 2021.  

“After years of political turmoil, many Kyrgyzstanis are enjoying the recent stability in the aftermath of several election cycles,” said Stephen Nix, Senior Regional Director for Eurasia at IRI. “This sense of optimism should create opportunities for the government to confront the persistent economic problems and address the lingering concerns about corruption.”  

Methodology  

The survey was conducted on behalf of IRI’s Center for Insights in Survey Research by SIAR Research and Consulting between April 7, 2022, and April 20, 2022, through face-to-face interviews at respondents’ homes. The sample consists of 1,500 residents of Kyrgyzstan aged 18+, and the data was weighted for age and gender. The margin of error does not exceed plus or minus 2.5 points at the 95 percent confidence level, and the response rate was 63%. This survey was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).