Polls opened on Sunday in Kazakhstan for parliamentary elections, a pivotal vote that is widely expected to further consolidate the power of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Central Asia’s largest nation. The ruling pro-presidential Adilet party is heavily favored to secure an overwhelming majority, with several smaller parties loyal to the president also anticipated to gain seats in the legislature.
This election marks the first time the country is voting for a new, single-chamber parliament known as the Kurultai. The vote serves as the culmination of a constitutional overhaul initiated by Tokayev last March. During that referendum, 87% of voters supported merging the two previous parliamentary chambers into one, while also granting the president expanded authority to appoint key officials—subject to parliamentary approval—and reestablishing the vice presidency.
Tokayev, 73, a former Soviet official and diplomat who previously held roles at the United Nations, has been in office since 2019. He has justified these constitutional changes by emphasizing the necessity for rapid decision-making in an increasingly volatile global environment. Furthermore, the president has navigated a complex diplomatic path, attempting to maintain a balance between Moscow and the West following the imposition of sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine. Last month, the Constitutional Court of Kazakhstan ruled that the amendments effectively reset the clock on Tokayev’s previous terms, allowing him to potentially seek another seven-year term.
The electoral process is unfolding against a backdrop of economic difficulty, with inflation reaching 10.2% in February and public frustration rising due to tax hikes. Analysts suggest that this economic strain has left authorities particularly cautious about avoiding a repeat of the violent unrest seen in January 2022. That period of instability, sparked by fuel price protests, resulted in dozens of deaths among both protesters and police officers—a scenario that observers believe Tokayev is attempting to mitigate by centralizing power.
Despite the government's rhetoric, critics point to a lack of genuine competition. Lukpan Akhmedyarov, an independent journalist who runs the YouTube project “Prosto Zhurnalistika” (Simply Journalism), noted that the streets of major cities are saturated with advertisements for the pro-presidential Adilet party. Akhmedyarov, who currently faces a criminal case for “disseminating false information” related to his reporting on Kazakhstani citizens fighting in Ukraine, told The Associated Press that he faces up to seven years in prison, adding that the outcome of the election is highly predictable.
President Tokayev has characterized the vote as a “truly historic event.” Speaking on Friday, he stated, “Without a doubt, these elections will be remembered as perhaps the most interesting in our country’s history. Amid unprecedented geopolitical tensions and mounting global challenges, we must firmly and consistently implement our strategy to transform Kazakhstan into a truly developed state.”
