2+ hour, 14+ min ago   (1549+ words) On 1 July 2022, thousands of protesters gathered in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, after proposed constitutional amendments threatened the republic’s special status and its constitutional right to hold a referendum on secession. What began as opposition to constitutional change became the…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago   (1567+ words) Mongolia occupies an unusual position between Russia and China while maintaining a democratic political system and cultivating partnerships with countries far beyond its immediate neighbourhood. In recent years, Ulaanbaatar has also intensified its relations with Central Asia, raising new questions…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago   (1557+ words) As Kazakhstan prepares to elect its new Kurultai, women are becoming increasingly visible in political institutions across Central Asia. Their presence, however, still falls sharply as offices acquire greater executive, territorial and economic authority. Kazakhstan’s political parties have selected their…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (583+ words) Read more on Novastan: Uzbekistan to invest in its digital infrastructure In other words, the next stage of Uzbekistan’s public service reform will be decided less by the number of services available online than by the quality of the digital…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (1160+ words) As Uzbekistani President Shavkat Mirziyoyev prepares to travel to Minsk on 8-9 July, the visit is expected to produce another series of agreements on trade, industry and regional cooperation. At first glance, it may appear to be just another bilateral meeting…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (44+ words) Novastan France In the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz special forces (spetsnaz) soldiers march in rows equipped with Russian AK-74 assault rifles. Where was the picture taken? Your comment will be revised by the site if needed. Read also from this…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (172+ words) The elections should therefore not be viewed in isolation. They are the latest stage in a broader political sequence that has included the 2022 constitutional referendum, early presidential and parliamentary elections, the institutionalisation of the National Kurultai, the expansion of direct…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (1042+ words) Also read on Novastan: Kazakhstan’s Next Elections: Between Reform and Managed Competition Across the region, governments are reviving concepts such as the Kurultai, the Mahalla, the Halk Maslahaty and councils of elders. These institutions are rarely presented as alternatives to…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago   (768+ words) Edited by: Mathieu Lemoine Translated by Emma Collet Citizens from Central Asia now represent the largest group of foreign nationals fighting in the Russian army. Novastan spoke with several of them after their capture by Ukrainian forces. Their accounts reveal…...

2+ mon, 3+ week ago   (253+ words) Turkmenistan stands as the most extreme case of authoritarianism in Central Asia. From 1991 to 2006, the Saparmyrat Niyyazov state established a near-total grip on all public and private life, shutting down every library and hospital outside the capital on the grounds…...