The leader of Kyrgyzstan’s opposition Ata-Meken party, Omurbek Tekebayev, has said he is gathering signatures to show public support and will seek to put a bill on Atambayev's impeachment to the vote by MPs early next year.

K-News news website cited Tekebayev as saying on November 22 that Almazbek Atambayev had left himself open to the move by openly supporting his former party, the Social Democratic Party, or SDPK, in violation of the constitution.

“We will gather the necessary facts and documents presented in the form of a legal document and begin the impeachment process before March,” Tekebayev, a political veteran whose party has 11 seats in the 120-member parliament, told journalists.

Tekebayev reportedly said that the influence of the SPDK extends even further.  According to him, while the party only holds 38 out of the 120 seats in the Zhogorku Kenesh, or parliament, 15 out of 18 government ministries are headed by SDPK representatives.  

Meanwhile, SDPK faction leader says there are no reasons for president’s impeachment.  “There are no reasons to impeach President Atambayev,” the leader of the SDPK faction in parliament, Isa Omurkulov, was cited as saying by 24.kg.    

“Ever since he took up his post as president, Atambayev has not undertaken any political activity. He is the father of the nation, the guarantor of the constitution.  There is nothing in his actions that would suggest he is acting in favor of SDPK,” Omurkulov was cited as saying by AKIPress news agency.

Under the constitution of Kyrgyzstan, the creation of special commission to open presidential impeachment procedures has to be backed by at least 40 members of the 120-member parliament. 

According to EurasiaNet.org, Tekebayev has received a pledge of support from forces outside parties, such as the Erkin El political youth movement. The leader of the movement, Mavlyav Askarbekov, reportedly pledged that civil society and political groups outside parliament would throw their weight behind the impeachment initiative.