Kazakhstan’s Parliamentary Election Set to Strengthen President Tokayev’s Power Grip

Overview of the Election

On Sunday, Kazakhstan held a parliamentary election, anticipated to bolster President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s hold on power in the country’s political landscape. The pro-presidential Adilet party is expected to secure a dominant majority, accompanied by various smaller parties aligned with Tokayev, thus gaining parliamentary representation.

Historic Political Changes

This election marks the country’s debut to a newly formed single-chamber parliament, known as the Kurultai. Tokayev, a 73-year-old former Soviet official and Kazakh diplomat with previous experience at the United Nations, has led Kazakhstan since 2019.

The election comes after a constitutional overhaul initiated by Tokayev in March. During a referendum, 87% of the voters supported merging the two parliamentary chambers into one. This change empowers the president to appoint key officials, subject to parliamentary approval, including the reinstatement of the vice presidency.

Strategic Decision-Making

Tokayev aims to maintain a strategic balance between Moscow and Western nations amid sanctions on Russia due to the Ukraine conflict. He motivated the reforms by emphasizing the necessity for swift decision-making in an evolving world.

Last month, Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court ruled that these amendments reset Tokayev’s past terms in office, allowing him the opportunity to run for another seven-year term. His involvement in meetings such as the 22nd Russia-Kazakhstan Forum underscores Kazakhstan’s diplomatic strategies.

“Without a doubt, these elections will be remembered as perhaps the most interesting in our country’s history,” Tokayev expressed on Friday.

He described the election as a “truly historic event,” emphasizing the need to transform Kazakhstan into an advanced nation amidst global challenges.

Economic Challenges and Public Discontent

Kazakhstan faces significant economic challenges; inflation reached 10.2% in February, while tax increases stirred public dissatisfaction. The authorities are wary of a recurrence of the unrest witnessed in January 2022, when fuel price protests led to violence and resulted in numerous casualties among protesters and police.

Tokayev aims to counteract potential unrest by consolidating power.

Media Freedom Concerns

The election occurs amidst heightened media freedom crackdowns. Several media organizations have urged Tokayev to drop criminal charges against journalists under house arrest and to reform media-related legislation.

Approximately ten criminal cases have been initiated against independent journalists and popular bloggers. Lukpan Akhmedyarov, an independent journalist with a YouTube project “Prosto Zhurnalistika,” faces charges of “disseminating false information” following his publication of Kazakh citizens involved in Ukraine.

“Repression has intensified sharply,” Akhmedyarov told AP from Almaty, referring to attacks on independent media, cyberattacks, and criminal cases targeting journalists.

Anticipated Outcomes

Akhmedyarov indicated that Kazakhstan’s cities are heavily adorned with promotions for the Adilet party. He suggested that the election results are not difficult to foresee, given the observable campaign efforts and current political dynamics.