Kazakhstan Holds First Kurultai Election Amidst Constitutional Reforms

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Kazakhstan held its first elections to the unicameral Kurultai on Sunday, August 23, marking a new stage in the country's transition to a single-chamber legislature. Over 12 million of Kazakhstan’s 20 million people were eligible to vote, with 10,363 polling stations opened across the country and 79 stations in 61 foreign countries. Voter turnout reached 37.05 percent as of noon on August 23, with 4,670,816 voters having received ballots. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev cast his ballot at polling station No. 520, describing it as a historic day and an important historical event for the country. The election follows constitutional overhauls earlier this year that abolished Kazakhstan’s upper house, the Senate, in favor of the new one-body parliament, the Kurultai. Officials claim this change will give parliament more weight in political decision-making. However, critics argue the election will cement the power of President Tokayev, who has led the Central Asian country since 2019. Only seven state-approved parties, all described as loyal to Tokayev, were allowed to field candidates for the 145-seat parliament, while genuine opposition parties were banned. The constitutional changes also reset term limits, allowing Tokayev to run again in 2029. Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov stated that the election is part of a broader effort to modernize Kazakhstan’s political institutions and strengthen their ability to respond to the country’s changing social and economic landscape. He expects the new political system to help maintain stability, ensure further development of state institutions, provide more effective representation of public interests, and improve decision-making quality. The election takes place amid soaring inflation, hovering around 10.2 percent, and rising taxes. These economic conditions fuel concerns for the government of a repeat of the January 2022 cost-of-living unrest that resulted in 238 deaths among protesters and police. International observers monitored the electoral process, visiting polling stations and meeting with election officials and political parties.

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