Kyrgyzstan Central Election Commission says the country has voted in favour of constitutional changes that increase the power of its government. The commission cited preliminary results of a national referendum, saying that with most ballots counted in the Central Asian nation, about 80 percent of voters had supported the constitutional amendments proposed by allies of President Almazbek Atambayev.

Opposition groups have criticised the changes, which would allow the prime minister to appoint and dismiss Cabinet ministers and regional governors without consulting the president.