
Sooronbay Jeenbekov became Kyrgyzstan's president on November 24, 2017, marking the country's first peaceful transfer of power from one elected leader to another. His inaugural decree honored his predecessor, Almazbek Atambayev, with the title of Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic, symbolizing the continuity of leadership. Shortly after taking office, Jeenbekov conducted his first official foreign visit to Russia in May 2018, meeting with Vladimir Putin to reinforce ties with a key ally.
Jeenbekov faced early challenges in domestic governance, including a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Sapar Isakov and his government, which led to their dismissal in April 2018. This move was widely interpreted as an effort to distance himself from Atambayev's influence, signaling Jeenbekov's intention to assert his independent leadership.
Throughout his first year, Jeenbekov was highly active in international diplomacy, participating in 30 meetings and signing numerous bilateral and multilateral agreements. His administration also sought to expand Kyrgyzstan's diplomatic reach by establishing relations with four new countries and negotiating a new cooperation agreement with the United States.
Jeenbekov’s presidency became increasingly defined by his strained relationship with Atambayev, who had been a key supporter during the 2017 election. Atambayev’s return to active politics as chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan exacerbated tensions. Atambayev criticized Jeenbekov’s handling of issues such as the Bishkek power plant failure and allegations of nepotism, particularly regarding Jeenbekov’s brother’s parliamentary role.
In response, Jeenbekov began to systematically remove officials linked to Atambayev, including dismissing high-ranking members of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) perceived as Atambayev allies. He openly accused Atambayev of trying to undermine his presidency by attempting to wield influence through intermediaries. Despite this public rift, Jeenbekov denied personal rivalry, framing his actions as necessary for asserting Kyrgyzstan's independent governance.