Kyrgyzstan is facing a run-off after a majority of seats failed to acquire an absolute majority of the votes:

MOSCOW. Feb. 28. — A majority of the seats in Kyrgyzstan’s parliamentary elections Sunday were forced into a second round of voting when the contests failed to produce absolute majorities for candidates, according to preliminary results released Monday in the capital, Bishkek. That leaves the Central Asian republic to face another period of high political tension around the March 13 runoffs.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Monday the vote “fell short” of international standards for democratic elections, citing, among other problems, an uneasy atmosphere heightened by government attempts to label the opposition as extremists and raise the specter of civil war.

“These elections were more competitive than previous ones, but sadly this was undermined by vote buying, de-registration of candidates, interference with media and a worryingly low confidence in judicial and electoral institutions on the part of voters and candidates,” said Kimmo Kiljunen, who oversaw the organization’s 200 short-term election monitors.

More criticism of the vote here. Nathan has the rest, and I’ll continue to notify you as he updates the situation.

CIS monitors found the Tajik elections free and fair while the OSCE says otherwise.