23 Apr 2010

Poll date set in Kyrgyzstan

1:53 pm on 23 April 2010

Kyrgyzstan's interim government says it will hold elections on 10 October, after a constitutional referendum on reducing presidential powers.

Deputy leader Omurbek Tekebayev announced the plans on national television.

He said the new constitution would prevent power being concentrated in one place. It will be put to a vote on 27 July.

Mr Tekebayev said that the new constitution would prevent authoritarianism.

He said no party would be allowed more than 50 seats in the 90-seat parliament.

The interim government took control after President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted in violent protests on 7 April.

More than 80 people died and hundreds were injured.

The BBC reports Mr Bakiyev is now in Belarus. His resignation was faxed to Bishkek after he flew to Kazakhstan.