Pro-Government Adilet Party Secures Landslide Victory in Kazakhstan Parliamentary Election

Kazakhstan’s newly established pro-government Adilet party secured a decisive victory in Sunday’s parliamentary election, capturing over 71 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission. The outcome is expected to further cement the power of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

During a Monday announcement, the commission revealed that four additional blocs also secured seats in the legislature: the pro-business Respublika and Ak Zhol parties, the centre-left Nationwide Social Democratic Party, and the rural-focused Auyl party. Voter turnout reached 74 percent among the 12.6 million eligible citizens participating in the election for the newly restructured, 145-member single-chamber parliament, known as the Kurultai.

Formed earlier this year in the Central Asian nation and led by top aides to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Adilet previously absorbed the former ruling party, Amanat. All four other parties that gained parliamentary representation are also viewed as generally supportive of the administration.

Sunday's vote was initiated following the adoption of a new constitution earlier this year, which consolidated parliament from two chambers into one. Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court determined last month that the updated constitution permits President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to seek a new seven-year term. Officials indicate the structural changes are designed to grant parliament greater authority in political decision-making, moving away from its previous auxiliary role under a presidency-dominated system.

A former Soviet diplomat and top United Nations official, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has governed Central Asia’s largest economy since 2019 while balancing relations with the West, Russia, and China. He has also promoted a reform agenda titled “Just Kazakhstan,” which followed the 2022 riots that resulted in 238 deaths amid escalating cost-of-living protests. The 73-year-old leader stated he is working to distance the nation from the legacy of former authoritarian leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who governed for thirty years following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev initially assumed office as the handpicked successor of Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan’s founding president who held power from 1991 to 2019. While casting his ballot in the capital, Astana, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev informed reporters that it was premature to discuss whether he would pursue another term. He also announced plans to appoint a candidate for the newly established office of vice president within the next seven to 10 days, describing the prospective official as a well-known figure.