Kazakhstan’s new pro-presidential party dominates parliamentary election
Photo: President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Getty Images)
The newly formed pro-government party Adilet has won a decisive majority in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary elections, according to exit polls. The result will consolidate President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's grip on power in Central Asia's largest economy, according to Reuters.
Exit poll results
According to three separate exit polls published by Kazakh state media, Adilet received between 70% and 72% of the vote, with turnout exceeding 74%.
Four small opposition parties also secured seats in parliament, though they too are considered loyal to Tokayev.
What the victory means for Tokayev
Adilet was created this year by the president's close advisers and quickly absorbed the former ruling party, Amanat. The victory is likely to deepen Tokayev's control over the country at the expense of figures more closely tied to his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Who Tokayev is
A former Soviet diplomat and UN official, Tokayev has led Central Asia's largest economy since 2019, maintaining warm ties with the West, Russia, and China alike.
The snap election was called after a new constitution was adopted this year, transforming the bicameral parliament into a unicameral one. Kazakhstan's Supreme Court ruled last month that the new constitution allows Tokayev to run for a new seven-year term.
Tokayev came to power as the designated successor of Nazarbayev, the founder of independent Kazakhstan, who ruled from 1991 to 2019. The rift between them emerged after the 2022 unrest, which Tokayev described as an attempted coup by Nazarbayev's allies.
What Tokayev himself said
Voting in Astana, Tokayev told journalists that it was too early to say whether he would run for another term. He also said he would announce a candidate for vice president – a new post introduced by the constitution – within seven to ten days, adding that the candidate would be a well-known figure.
Kazakhstan's position on Ukraine and Russia has drawn significant attention in recent months. In May, the country refused to enforce a court ruling that would have allowed Ukrainian Naftogaz to collect $1.4 billion from Russian Gazprom.
In July, President Tokayev personally advised Putin to freeze the war against Ukraine and return to the terms of the 2022 Istanbul negotiations – according to ISW analysts, Putin used this call for his own purposes to justify continuing the war.
