BISHKEK, March 18 (Reuters) - The ruling coalition in Kyrgyzstan's parliament collapsed on Tuesday, meaning Prime Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev must step down and his cabinet resign, the bloc's leader said.
The nation of 5.5 million stands out in autocratic post-Soviet Central Asia for its efforts to build the first parliamentary majority in a region where other leaders wield sweeping powers and national assemblies are rubber stamps.
The prime minister enjoys significant executive powers in Kyrgyzstan, which remains volatile after two popular uprisings that have deposed two presidents since 2005.
"I must officially announce: the majority coalition is now disbanded," Felix Kulov told Reuters. "I have sent a relevant letter to the parliamentary speaker and another such letter to the president.
"The president is now to announce that the government is an acting one," he said, "and he has three days to task a parliamentary faction to form a majority coalition and propose a nominee for prime minister." (Reporting by Olga Dzyubenko; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Mark Heinrich)