Kyrgyzstan's (a Central Asian nation that has experienced three revolutions since Soviet independence in 1991) long-standing power-sharing arrangement between President Sadyr Japarov and former security chief Kamchybek Tashiyev collapsed in February 2026, ending a political alliance that had governed the country since a disputed election triggered violent protests in October 2020. Japarov dismissed Tashiyev from his post as head of the State Committee for National Security after a public letter from prominent figures called for early presidential elections, which the president interpreted as a move orchestrated by his former ally. Since then, a sweeping purge has toppled officials across at least ten ministries, removed four city mayors, seen eight members of parliament relinquish their seats, and resulted in the arrest of Tashiyev's brother on corruption charges — with a state tax investigation alleging that Tashiyev's associates caused some $45.7 million in damages through oil sales fraud.