Tokayev’s party sweeps Kazakhstan vote, strengthening grip on power

Three exit polls broadcast by state television estimated that Adilet received between 70 and 72 percent of the vote. The result is expected to give the pro-

ALMATY: Kazakhstan’s ruling Adilet party has secured a decisive victory in parliamentary elections, according to exit polls, further strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s political influence.

Three exit polls broadcast by state television estimated that Adilet received between 70 and 72 percent of the vote. The result is expected to give the pro-government party a dominant position in the country’s new 145-member parliament.

Official figures showed voter turnout at 74.19 percent, with participation reaching around 90 percent in some regions. The election was the first held under Kazakhstan’s newly adopted constitutional system, which replaced the two-chamber legislature with a single parliamentary body known as the Kurultai.

Authorities have presented the constitutional changes as a move toward greater democratic participation and a stronger legislature. Critics, however, argue that the reforms have done little to reduce the concentration of political power around the presidency.

Tokayev, who has led Kazakhstan since 2019, has promoted his “Just Kazakhstan” reform agenda while seeking to distance himself from former president Nursultan Nazarbayev’s three-decade rule. His administration has faced continued scrutiny over political freedoms following the deadly unrest of 2022.

Only seven officially approved political parties contested the election, with five reportedly securing enough support to enter parliament. Opposition groups critical of the government were not allowed to participate, raising questions about the competitiveness of the vote.

With Adilet’s overwhelming lead, the election is expected to reinforce Tokayev’s control over Kazakhstan’s political system while the resource-rich Central Asian nation continues to balance close relations with Russia, China and the European Union.