[2][3] In response to the invalidation of the constitutional amendments passed after the Tulip Revolution, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev called the referendum on 19 September 2007.
[4] The new constitution provided for a 90-seat Supreme Council (an increase from 75) elected by proportional representation, whilst members of political parties declared illegal would lose their seats.
[4] According to observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), there were reports of numerous irregularities, observers being obstructed, and ballot stuffing; it also said that popular awareness of what was at stake in the referendum was low and called into question the claimed high turnout rate.
[2]Analysts assumed that there would be early parliamentary elections in 2008 following the referendum, especially as Bakiyev had also announced that he would be founding a political party.
[4] Bakiyev called early elections for December 2007 immediately after preliminary results indicated that more than 75% of voters had approved the changes, with an official turnout of 80%.