Kazakhstan's ruling party wins parliamentary elections: exit polls

Kazakhstan’s ruling party comfortably won Sunday’s election to the country’s new single-chamber parliament, according to exit polls, further consolidating President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s grip on power.

Three exit polls reported by state television showed the pro-Tokayev Adilet party securing between 70 and 72 percent of the vote, giving it a dominant share of the parliament’s 145 seats.

The electoral commission put voter turnout at 74.19 percent, reaching as high as 90 percent in some regions. Around 12.6 million of Kazakhstan’s 20 million people were eligible to vote.

The new parliamentary chamber was created following constitutional changes that authorities say will democratise Central Asia’s largest economy, while critics argue they have further entrenched presidential power.

Kazakhstan adopted a new constitution in March, abolishing the upper-house Senate in favour of a single-chamber parliament known as the Kurultai, a reference to medieval councils of nomadic peoples across Central Asia.

Officials say the reform will give parliament greater influence over political decision-making, after it was largely confined to an auxiliary role under a system dominated by the presidency.

Tokayev, who came to power in 2019, has promoted a reform programme dubbed “Just Kazakhstan” since 238 people were killed in 2022 when protests over the cost of living escalated into widespread unrest.

The 73-year-old president has sought to distance himself from his authoritarian predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled Kazakhstan for three decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

However, only seven state-approved parties, all broadly loyal to Tokayev, were allowed to field candidates in Sunday’s election. Five secured enough votes to enter the new parliament, according to the exit polls.

Genuine opposition groups remain banned, and there was little doubt ahead of the vote that Adilet would secure most of the parliamentary seats.

Adilet is effectively a rebranding of Amanat, the existing ruling party, and was created specifically to advance Tokayev’s political agenda.

The constitutional changes also reset presidential term limits that would otherwise have prevented Tokayev from seeking another term, allowing him to run again in 2029.

Ex-Soviet Kazakhstan is a close ally of Russia and maintains strong ties with China. Its vast natural resources and strategic location between Europe and Asia also make it an important partner for the European Union.