BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov has approved a law to hold a constitutional referendum on April 11.

According to the statement made by the Presidential Press Center, the referendum will take place simultaneously with local elections.

The constitutional amendment proposes the country’s transition from the parliamentary to a presidential system.

According to the new regulation, the number of deputies in the parliament will be reduced from 120 to 90, and a new body called the People's Assembly will be established in the country that can make recommendations.

A total of 59 political parties will take place in the local elections, which will be held in 26 provinces and 420 districts and villages.

Kyrgyzstan, which was governed by the presidential system from 1991 to 2010, switched to a parliamentary system of governance in a constitutional referendum in 2010.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar