Parliamentary representation in Central Asia: MPs between representing their voters and serving an authoritarian regime

The study of informality has generally defined research on Central Asian politics since 1991. Such a trend is not without justification, formal institutions such as parliaments, constitutions and political parties are largely subservient to the whims of personal political power in Central Asia. However, the lack of focus on formal institutions does not mean parliament and parties are not important, nor a fundamental element of the mosaic of authoritarian logic in the region. Therefore, Esther Somfalvy’s monograph on parliamentary representation in Central Asia is a much welcome, insightful, and analytically detailed intervention into our understanding of formal institutions in the region.