Ömürbek Babanov
Ömürbek Toktogulovich Babanov Бабанов, Ömürbek Toqtoğuloviç is a Kyrgyz politician who was Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 1 December 2011 to 1 September 2012. Before his appointment as Prime Minister, he was Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of Almazbek Atambayev. He was also acting Prime Minister from 23 September 2011 until 14 November 2011, as the Prime Minister Atambayev was a candidate in the presidential election. He again became acting Prime Minister on 1 December 2011 when Atambayev took office as President. He was confirmed by Parliament on 23 December 2011. On 1 September 2012 Babanov resigned as Prime Minister.
With an estimated wealth of $1.5 billion, he is one of the richest people in Kyrgyzstan.
Babanov participated in Kyrgyzstan's presidential election in 2017 as an independent. During a television debate, candidate Sooronbay Jeenbekov promised to imprison Babanov as part of a proposed fight against corruption. He came second to Jeenbekov with 33% of the vote.
Babanov is half-Turkish and his wife is Kazakh. These facts were used to smear him during the 2017 election.
