Following the August 23 parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan, five political parties have secured seats in the newly formed unicameral Kurultai. Despite the introduction of new political entities, the country’s power dynamics remain largely unchanged, with the newly formed Adilet party claiming a decisive 71 percent of the vote according to preliminary official data. Other parties meeting the 5 percent threshold for entry included Auyl at 6.26 percent, Respublica at 5.56 percent, Ak Zhol at 5.21 percent, and the National Social Democratic Party at 5.11 percent. Official figures indicated that voter turnout surpassed 74 percent.
International observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) offered a critical assessment of the process. While acknowledging the polls were technically well-prepared, the OSCE stated the elections occurred in an environment lacking political pluralism. The mission raised alarms regarding the integrity of the counting process, noting significant discrepancies between observed voter activity and the official turnout figures. Furthermore, observers reported concerning indications of pressure being exerted on voters.
The electoral landscape was marked by a lack of genuine opposition, as all seven competing parties endorsed the policies of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Independent candidates were barred from participation, and only government-approved registered parties were eligible to contest the seats. Human rights organizations had previously decried state pressure on independent journalists, and the OSCE noted that limited editorial and analytical media coverage hindered the ability of voters to make informed choices.
Although Adilet is presented as a new party, having been formed in the spring of 2026 and registered in early June, its emergence is widely viewed as cosmetic. Aibek Dadebay, who recently left his post as head of the presidential administration, became the party’s chairman in May. Then, on June 12, Kazakhstan’s political landscape shifted further as the former ruling party, Amanat, announced a merger with Adilet. This continues a pattern of pro-presidential consolidation that dates back to the era of Kazakhstan's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Amanat was founded in 1999 as Otan, and in 2006 it took on the name Nur-Otan. Since the 2004 parliamentary elections, it has served as the primary party vehicle. After Nazarbayev stepped down as president in 2019, he remained chairman of Nur-Otan. In December 2021, Nazarbayev announced that he would transfer leadership of Nur-Otan to Tokayev. Tokayev officially became the head of the party on January 28, 2022, and later rebranded it as Amanat.
This political environment stands in stark contrast to the hurdles faced by independent political movements. Unregistered parties, such as the Democratic Party led by Zhanbolat Mamai and the Alga Kazakhstan party, have faced repeated detentions, registration rejections, and legal crackdowns. Between May 2022 and July 2023, the Alga Kazakhstan party was refused registration 16 times. Meiram Kazhyken, leader of the unregistered YNTYMAQ party, recently appealed to the president, warning that the inability to register parties risks leaving Kazakhstan with limited freedoms and declining public trust. Ultimately, the Kurultai elections reinforce the status quo, ensuring the parliament remains a body that serves the presidential agenda rather than providing a check on power.
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“Without the real possibility of registering parties and associations, Kazakhstan risks remaining among the countries with limited freedoms, and public trust in reforms will decline.”
